Alone
by cheshirecat1333
Summary: What happens when Hermione is left alone while Harry and Ron are searching for Horcruxes? Will a certain Head Boy and his best friend finally give her a break? HGDMBZ
1. Chapter 1

Hermione tried to wave cheerfully to her parents as the Hogwarts Express pulled off, noting how their smiling faces stuck out amongst the solemn faces of the other parents. Crookshanks looked up at her reproachfully and she felt a shred of guilt about not telling her parents there was a war going on and that she was involved. But she knew it was for the best. They would have never let her come back if they knew what had happened. She had told them that Dumbledore simply died of old age. She hated lying to them, but she couldn't risk not being able to help Harry. Harry. Ron. At the thought of them she could feel the tears wanting to push themselves forward. Hermione looked at Ginny, Neville, and Luna, also sharing her compartment and though they were wonderful friends, they weren't Harry and Ron. But Harry and Ron were off hunting for horcruxes while she was on her way to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for her seventh year.

Even the head girl badge precariously pinned to her robes did nothing to assuage her sadness.

But she had to be there. As a spy, and as a researcher. They had tried during the summer to find the other horcruxes and to identify them to no avail. They needed information, information that wasn't available anywhere else without suspicion, and the last thing they needed was Voldemort knowing they were after his horcruxes. Plus, what place would have more information about the founders of Hogwarts than the very place they founded? Plus with her new status as head girl she had access to books in the restricted section without question. She might even be able to find a way to destroy horcruxes without harmful repercussions. Still, she knew Harry and Ron also wanted her out of danger, and the fact that she couldn't be out there risking her life by their sides because they felt she was a burden gnawed at her. Looking down at Crookshanks she saw the gleam of her head girl badge and remembered.

"I completely forgot! I have to go to the head compartment." Ginny nodded, Luna continued reading the newest issue of the Quibbler upside down, and Neville continued preening over his plant. Hermione lifted a disgruntled Crookshanks off her lap and headed down the train to head compartment, making sure to note any mischief or wrong doing along the way. Surprisingly there wasn't much trouble, only a first year who had managed to set his companions cloak on fire. Opening the compartment door she entered to see her fellow head also tardy and relaxed sitting on the cushions. She pulled her worn copy of _Hogwarts, A History_ out hoping that it held some secret that she had not noticed before. The door opened again and Hermione looked up to see an olive skinned boy slip in followed by none other than Draco Malfoy. Anger welled with in her. Regardless of the fact that both him and Snape were working for the order, Hermione didn't like the pale pointy faced boy. And the fact that he was the cause of Dumbledore's death, (even if Dumbledore had commanded Snape to protect Malfoy's innocence by performing the murder if it came to it) increased the strong dislike that had built up after years of prejudice and teasing. She would even go as far as calling it hate.

"Malfoy this compartment is reserved for _heads._ That excludes you." She spat glaring openly. Malfoy smirked sitting on the cushion across from her.

"What Mu- Granger? Afraid of being alone with two snakes?" The other boy- Blaise Zabini if she remembered correctly raised an eyebrow at her and then sat next to Malfoy.

"No Malfoy. I simply don't enjoy spending anymore time in your presence than necessary. Since _Zabini _is the one with the head boy badge, I assume that _he_ not you is the one with the privilege of being in here." She retorted, closing her book and openly glaring at Malfoy.

"Actually Granger, the head's compartment is reserved for heads and their companions; it's in that atrocity of a book sitting on your lap." Zabini put in. Hermione turned to look at him in astonishment. Of course _she _knew that, but no one _else _was supposed to. She didn't think anyone but she had read _Hogwarts, A History_. She was counting on that. Now she'd have to put up with Malfoy without any support. It was going to be a long ride.

"Fine." She snapped at Zabini. "We have to address the prefects, I have a speech prepared and you can look over it." She handed him the speech. Malfoy snickered. Hermione ignored him, waiting for Zabini to finish reading her speech which was perfect as usual. Nodding he handed it back to her.

"Do you want to add anything?" she prompting.

"No. It's already long enough." Zabini replied. Malfoy snickered again. Hermione didn't reply.

"So Granger, where are your dogs Potty and Weasel?" Malfoy sneered at her. It hit a raw nerve.

"None of your business." Malfoy smirked.

"Oh so Potty and Weasel left the itty bitty Mu- Granger to fight the big bad guys?" He sneered. Hermione ignored him choosing to look out the window instead.

"What Granger, that beast you call a cat got your tongue? Or did you just never learn manners? I guess I can't expect much more from someone like you." Malfoy sneered again. Zabini just looked amused. She really wanted to hit him again. Just like back in third year.

"Malfoy shut it or I'll-" she was just about to say something creative that she would do to him when Professor McGonagall entered the compartment. Malfoy smirked superiorly at her and Hermione simply glared at him in return.

"Miss Granger, Mister Zabini, I trust you have made each others acquaintance?"

Zabini nodded, and Hermione followed his example, choosing not to mention the clashes that had already occurred. McGonagall nodded happily at their lack of protest.

"You are to set an example for the school this year. The school will be going through hard times, and it's time to put all house rivalries aside. We are all members of Hogwarts before we are members of our houses, and you would do well to remember that. Even you Mister Malfoy." Hermione nodded a bit reluctantly, she didn't mind house unity but as Ron had put it so wonderfully before, it didn't mean she wanted to get all chummy with the Slytherins.

"I am glad we understand each other then. You are to run the prefect meeting promptly in two minutes." McGonagall left the compartment. Hermione stood, grabbing her bag and dusting off imaginary dust from her clothing.

"We better get going now shouldn't we Zabini? Malfoy, even if you were allowed in the head compartment, you certainly aren't in the prefect meeting." She said with a little more enthusiasm than could be deemed nonchalant. But Malfoy just grinned in response and pulled something out of his pocket. Hermione gasped when she saw what it was. It was a prefect badge.

"Anymore objections Granger?" he asked smugly.

"You- I-" she stuttered incoherently.

"Granger you really should learn how to put together sentences, it is a basic sign of a civilized person. I forgot, you're not exactly civilized are you?" Hermione glared and went into the prefect compartment. Clearing her throat she began her well thought out speech.

"This year shall be a difficult year for all of us, and we need to work together in order to accomplish anything. For returning prefects, you know the rules, and for newcomers, you can hand out detentions but you can not dock house points. It is important that you do not take advantage of this privilege. You will also have access to the prefect's bathroom and help plan school functions. You cannot miss prefect meetings unless you are excused, and you are required to patrol the castle at night to ensure no students are out after hours. You must help direct first years to their common rooms after the welcoming feast, and you are to help them if they need help adjusting to the school. Are there any questions?" Hannah Abbot's hand shot up.

"What type of school functions will we be planning this year?"

"Well, none are set but due to the current pressures surrounding all of us, I thought it would be nice to plan a dance or two, somewhat like the Yule Ball in the Triwizard Tournament, but much less formal. We will discuss it in more detail at our first meeting in the school. Anything else?" Hermione asked. A slytherin sixth year whispered something to his female counterpart, resulting in both of them chuckling, and she made a note to herself to watch the two, but no more questions came.

"Then you are dismissed, unless Zabini would like to say something?" Zabini shrugged.

"You being the know-it-all that you are Granger covered it all." Hermione blushed as some others snickered, and ignored the comment. The prefects filed out. She looked at her watch and noticed she didn't have much time before the train arrived at Hogwarts, so she decided to return to the head compartment. Unfortunately, Malfoy and Zabini also made this decision.

"Malfoy don't you have first years to torment?" She asked exasperatedly.

"Granger, I'm surprised. I didn't think you would encourage the torment of first years. That isn't exactly befitting of a head girl now is it?" Malfoy sneered back. Hermione glared at him.

"Malfoy, it is I who is surprised! You used a word that was more than two syllables long! How did you do it? I didn't know your brain was capable of such a feat, it being of questionable size and all." Malfoy's eyes narrowed with contempt.

"Shut it Granger." He snarled.

"How very clever Malfoy. Would you like a pastry for your efforts?" She replied sarcastically. Malfoy took his own advice and stayed quiet for the rest of the ride. Once they arrived she entered the head's carriage along with Malfoy and Zabini, and was none too happy when she was able to separate herself from their presence and find Ginny, Neville and Luna again. Ginny, being a prefect had probably already told Neville and Luna about McGonagall's choice of head boy.

"At least it's not Malfoy," Ginny told her patting her on the back. Hermione snorted.

"It might as well be. He was with Zabini the whole time. He'll probably hang around in the head's common room too." Ginny looked sympathetic.

"I'm always here."

"Would you indulge me and practically live in the head's rooms with me?" Ginny laughed.

"I'll try." Even though she had Ginny and the others, Hermione couldn't help but feeling slightly alone.

In the Great Hall they did the sorting ceremony first as usual, and McGonagall continued to call the first years to the sorting hat even though she was now the headmistress. The hat sang its song talking about unity and dark times, but it was nothing the students hadn't heard before. The number of first years at the school was strikingly small, even the number of returning students was less than it should be. The Creevy brothers weren't there and countless others. Gryffindor received all of seven new students. McGonagall made a small speech, reiterating what she had told her and Blaise on the train. She also introduced the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

He was tall and blonde, apparently from Norway and had previously been employed at Durmstrang. Hermione stood politely when she was introduced as the head girl and she received a tremendous amount of applause from Gryffindor and from the other houses. Blaise, however, she noted only received the support of the Slytherins. She sat, trying to enjoy the feast even though her two best friends were not present. She could tell that Ginny was making an effort to include her in her conversation with Parvati, and Lavender, but the two girls' gossip didn't interest her and only made her miss Harry and Ron more. So she forced a smile and nodded, not really keeping up with the conversation. She was grateful when the feast was over and she dutifully led the first years to the Gryffindor Common Room explaining the way the castle worked as the went along. She taught them the password which was ironically Berty botts beans. With a pang she was reminded of Dumbledore and she knew that was in fact Professor McGonagall's intention. He was still there in remembrance. After the first years were all organized she parted with Ginny, promising to meet her at the Fat Lady's portrait in the morning before breakfast. Exiting the Common Rooms she headed off toward her new rooms, following the directions McGonagall had given to her on the train. Reaching the portrait that marked the Entrance to the rooms she suddenly realized that she didn't have the password to her rooms. She stood for a moment contemplatively trying to figure out what she would do. The beautiful woman in the portrait looked at her curiously, but made no remark on her behavior. She had not been thinking for long when the portrait door swung open and Draco Malfoy appeared the portrait shutting quickly behind him.

"Oi, Granger, why are you just standing there?" he sneered.

"Malfoy, would you mind not being a prat for once and telling me the password." His expression changed to the characteristic smirk that irked her to her end.

"I don't think so Granger. Unless that is, you provide some sort of incentive that might make the idea sound more attractive." Hermione's anger flared.

"You haven't changed a bit Malfoy. You're still the arrogant, nasty, despicable, spoiled daddy's boy—", however she didn't get to finish the statement because her back hit the stone wall as she was pinned by an enraged Malfoy.

"You can make as many insults as you want about me, Granger, just don't mention my father. Do I make myself clear?" He growled his eyes narrowed dangerously. Hermione glared at him, making a move for her wand but her wrist was caught in his strong grip. Then, he grabbed her wand from her pocket, putting it into his own.  
"Promise that you wont bring up my father again, Granger" he growled more derisively. Hermione was not going to give in. He could threaten her all he wanted, this wasn't a matter of who was right or wrong, it was a matter of pride.

"Malfoy if you don't get off of me this moment, I'll- I'll-"

"Do what? Curse me? I have your wand. Hit me? I'm stronger. Your pets aren't here to protect you Granger, and you'd do well to remember it. Just bloody promise you won't mention my father, and I'll let you go this moment, and give you the password." He growled again frustrated. Hermione glared before nodding.

"Fine. I promise." She muttered. Malfoy seemed content and let her go, giving back her wand.

"The password is Unity," he told her turning away and waling down the hall. Hermione quickly walked into the common room only to be greeted with the sight of a shirtless Zabini reading in a big red chair. For a moment she just stared and Zabini looked up and smirked.

"Like what you see Granger?"

"Put a shirt on for god's sake," she snapped back.

"Why? I think we both like it." He retorted ignoring her and continuing to read.

"Zabini, you can't just walk around half-naked everywhere!" she almost screeched.

"Why not? I do normally. I don't have to change my habits because you're a prude. Just like if you want to walk around half naked I won't complain." He said calmly accentuating it with a languid look up and down her body. Hermione flushed red in embarrassment.

"That's not the same thing." Zabini raised an eyebrow.

"Chauvinistic?" Hermione glared.

"I'll keep my clothes on thank you very much, and I would prefer that you would keep yours on as well."

Zabini smirked.

"Pity, I was hoping you'd see the light. Well, I'm staying like this. Whether you _prefer_ it or not." Hermione went up to her room and slammed the door frustrated once again.

This was going to be a long year.

Please review! WHEN AUTHORS DON'T GET REVIEWS THEY STOP WRITING STORIES.

-thanx


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione woke up when her alarm rang, the one she had charmed to work on magic and not electricity. She had come up with the idea herself, and maybe one day she could even charm computers to do the same. That would definitely change the Wizarding World. She crawled from beneath the thick red comforter and went to the bathroom, glad to find Zabini still asleep. She quickly brushed her teeth, and then surveyed the bathroom, which she hadn't gotten to do before due to her frustration with Zabini and Malfoy. There was a shower and a bath tub much like the one in the prefects bathroom, accept smaller. The room was a pristine white, with marble counter top and gold and silver faucets. Hermione hurried into the shower hoping her luck would continue and that Zabini wouldn't get up for a while. She was happy to find that her luck continued when she got out, until the door knob turned and the bathroom door opened. Hermione grabbed a towel and wrapped it around herself quickly. Still it didn't provide as much covering as she wanted. Zabini stared at her for a moment before smirking, looking incredibly annoying with his black hair tousled and his chest inappropriately exposed. Accept this time he was only wearing boxers.

"Decided to take up my offer Granger?" Hermione ignored him grabbing her belongings from the counter top and going into her room. She dressed and prepared for school, combing her still wild hair, even though Sleaksy's did get rid of the majority of the frizz. Once she was ready she went down stairs only to find Zabini and Malfoy lounging on the silver couch. Zabini raked his gaze up her body obviously recalling the image from earlier. Hermione flushed with embarrassment, and Malfoy snickered. Hermione grabbed her Herbology book off the table and walked toward the portrait hole.

"What Granger not going to walk to the Great Hall with us? I'm hurt." Zabini said sarcastically. Hermione ignored him and walked out, met up with Ginny and headed to the Great Hall.

Her first class was potions with the Slytherins. She sat with Neville, and that was when it hit her that Harry and Ron wouldn't be there. The thought was depressing. Slughorn bumbled out and taught his lesson, which she knew already of course. He played favorites as always and Hermione had finished their potion early and it was perfect, even though she had worked with Neville. She passed through most of her classes easily, her mind hardly there for the most of the time. She spent lunch in the library researching everything she could find on the founders, and checked out a significant amount of books. She found the only class she was curious about, and excited for was Defense Against the Dark Arts. She was early so she sat at an empty table in the middle of the room stacking the library books on the table carefully. She continued reading one of the books in search of anything that might have belonged to the founders. The class filed in, and was the only mixed class they had of the day. There were people from every house in the room. Dean Thomas had sat next to her and she waited for class to start. The door opened and Professor Valski entered, his cloak billowing behind him reminding Hermione sharply of Severus Snape.

"I would recommend that all of you stand because I will be assigning seats for this class. Each of you will be partners with a member from another house this year in Defense Against the Dark Arts." There were groans all around, but Hermione hoped desperately she wouldn't be paired with a Slytherin. It would put the cherry on her already crummy day. Week if she wanted to be more general. Knowing her luck however, she would probably be paired with Malfoy or Zabini, who happened to be in her class. Or worse, Parkinson.

"Padma Patil, Lavender Brown," Hermione automatically crossed her fingers for luck even though she knew it was a simple muggle superstition.

"Pansy Parkinson, Hannah Abbott," Hermione sent Hannah a sympathetic look as she trudged over to sit behind Lavender and next to pug faced Parkinson.

"Anthony Goldstein, Justin Finch-Fletchy,"

"Theodore Nott, Susan Bones."

"Terry Boot, Neville Longbottom."

"Draco Malfoy-" Hermione squeezed her eyes shut "- and Seamus Finnigan"

"Hermione Granger, Zacharias Smith." Hermione solemnly walked over to her seat nodding to the haughty Zacharias.

"Blaise Zabini, Dean Thomas." Hermione stacked her books on her desk and started counting to ten. Sitting between Malfoy Zabini and Smith was going to be difficult and she knew it. She sat down and started reading for only a few minutes before something poked at her cheek. It was a charmed piece of paper in the shape of an owl. She opened the note.

_Granger,_

_Can't you keep your nose out a book for one second?_

_-Zabini_

_P.S. I hope we have a repeat of this morning_

Hermione glared at Zabini who was smirking as he lounged in his chair, and crumpled the paper, tossing it aside. Professor Valski finished giving seat assignments and went to the board. Hermione looked up attentively and then noticed the slight movement of Valski's wand and automatically set up a block. However some students didn't notice at all and the jinx took them, turning their faces green. Only Hermione, Blaise, Malfoy, Zacharias, and surprisingly Neville were unaffected.

"Well, I see that some of you are prepared for the rigors of this class. Would anyone like to explain why some of your faces are green and some are not?" Hermione's hand shot up automatically.

"Miss Granger?" Hermione nodded. "Well go ahead." He said his American accent apparent.

"You sent a non-verbal jinx that turned faces green, Sir."

"And would you care to explain why your face is not green?" he asked.

"Because your body language and eye contact indicated you were about to perform a spell, and you slipped your wand into your hand. So, I cast a non-verbal _Protego._"

"Very Good Miss Granger 10 points to Gryffindor for Miss Granger's answer, 5 points for each person whose face is not green." He cast the counter charm and everyone's face returned to normal. Hermione smiled at Neville nodding her encouragement and his face glowed with pride. Malfoy leaned back in his chair.

"Already over Potty and Weasel, Granger? Moved on to Longbottom I see."

"Shut it, ferret." Hermione replied. Malfoy shrugged.

"Touchy about relationships Granger? I understand, not everyone can get someone decent like me." Hermione snorted and was about to reply when Valski instructed them to practice non-verbal _Protego_.

"I think we've established we both know this well, Hermione. You know with DA and all. Do you think that it might be possible to begin that again?" Zacharias said. Hermione almost choked when he used her first name. He had only shown contempt to her before, and he never seemed to really enjoy DA.

"Harry's not here this year Zacharias, we don't have anyone to run things." He shrugged.

"Who needs Potter? I always though you were a better witch anyway. You could run it." Hermione smiled. He was actually being _nice_. But she did notice the way he said Potter in reference to Harry.

"I've already said this before, Zacharias, I may know the material, but I don't have the practical experience, but if someone who does would volunteer, maybe-"

"But until then I think you should run them. You were at the Department of Mysteries, you were there the night… you know the night. You've fought Death Eaters. Not as many times as Potter, but you're the best we have. It could be a study club now that we have an adequate teacher. So we can have extra practice and all." Hermione nodded.

"I'll think about it." Class ended and Hermione left for Arithmacy.

They sat at the table eating, Hermione between Ginny and Neville.

"So Hermione, what do you think of the new DADA teacher?" Lavender said, as bubbly as usual.

"I think he will be a better teacher than some of the ones we've had." Parvati giggled.

"I think he's soooo cute. Don't you agree Lav?" Lavender nodded in earnest. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"He is quite a piece of eye candy," Ginny put it. Hermione turned to her friend shocked.

"Gin! You too?" Ginny shrugged. Neville at this point was blushing furiously and had scooted down to join a conversation with Dean and Seamus about DADA.

"Hermione you have to admit he's attractive." Lavender stated right before Luna Lovegood's voice floated over.

"Who? The new DADA teacher?" she said dreamily sitting next to Hermione.

"Luna, shouldn't you be with the Ravenclaws?" Hermione inquired.

"Not necessarily. They are boring. I think there are too many Fizzletacks flying around in Ravenclaw tower." She said staring into the distance. None of them knew what Fizzletacks were, but none of them asked. They were used Luna's rants by now.

"C'mmon Hermione you have to admit he's attractive" Parvati prodded. Hermione shrugged.

"He's not ugly."

"Granger, I'm flattered. Glad to know that you find me extremely attractive." Zabini's lilting voice said from behind her. Hermione groaned. Lavender and Parvati giggled.

"What do you want Zabini?" Hermione replied not turning around.

"Head duties, Granger. Meet me in the common room in an hour." Hermione nodded still not turning around and she heard Zabini disappear. She decided to get some research done in the library, seeing as she had already completed her homework. Hauling her books to the library she sat at an empty table. She began reading a biography of Godric Gryffindor, taking notes of anything that might have been connected to horcruxes.

"Hermione." Hermione looked up to see Zacharias Smith.

"Yes?"

"Have you thought about what I said?"

"A bit. I'll ask the previous DA members and see what the interest level is and if its high, then we'll start again." Zacharias nodded and sat opening his own book and starting a paper for Herbology that wasn't due for another week. It was so unlike what Harry or Ron would do that she couldn't help but comment.

"You're starting now?"

"Of course," was his response, and surprisingly Zacharias Smith turned out to be a nice person when he wasn't being a snob.

An hour later she took her leave and made her way to the common room with her load of books that Zacharias had even offered to help her with. Once in she sat the books on the table. Completely startled when someone spoke from behind her.

"If you want more information about the Founders you should try asking Blaise. His family library is very extensive. I'd offer Malfoy Manor's Granger, but it is occupied by a colorful group of people." Malfoy said. Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"Why?" They both knew what it meant.

"I'm on your side, Granger, whether you like it or not."

"And Zabini?" Malfoy's expression changed suddenly.

"He's neutral. So is his family. You can ask him for academic help, but don't bring him into the war Granger." He said seriously. Hermione wondered at his words and shrugged and sat on the couch waiting for Zabini. Malfoy sat ironically in the red chair and did homework. Zabini came in moments later.

"What did you want Zabini? Other than irking me to no end?"

"You were the one who was talking about me." He retorted to Hermione. She rolled her eyes.

"You are so egotistical. We were not discussing you or your looks."

"What Blaise, did you hear Granger say she thought you were hot?" Malfoy asked smugly.

"No, Lavender asked me if I found someone attractive, and I said they weren't ugly."

"Was that person Blaise?" Malfoy asked. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"No you imbecile."

"Was it Longbottom?" Hermione threw a pillow at him, but she found it wasn't with a malicious intent.

"Longbottom? Why did you think Longbottom?" Blaise asked confused.

"Didn't you see them make lovey dovey eyes at each other earlier in Defense? I thought I would puke." Malfoy said making a mock disgusting look.

"No it was not Neville, and Neville and I are not interested in each other." Hermione said.

"It wasn't Draco then was it?" Blaise asked.

"No. It doesn't matter who it was." Hermione said a bit annoyed.

"On the contrary. If it wasn't important, you would tell us." Blaise retorted. Hermione sighed exasperated.

"They asked me if I thought our new _Professor_ was attractive, and I said he wasn't ugly."

Blaise chuckled.

"So you're into blonds?" he asked raising an elegant brow.

"I'm into no one." Hermione shot back.

"Granger, you _are_ a prude," Malfoy said smugly.

"I- ugh! Zabini what did you want?"

"Tsk, tsk Granger, it's our turn to patrol." Blaise said splaying himself on the sofa.

"Then let's get it over with. Malfoy, I guess you can take your leave."

"Why?" Malfoy responded haughtily, lounging back in the red armchair.

"To go back to your dorm. It's almost curfew, and you very well can't expect to stay here all night." Malfoy and Zabini glanced at each other quickly, and shared a look, which Hermione had completely noticed. They had a secret huh? Well two- three could play that game. She ignored it.

"So, logically if you don't want a detention, you'll leave for the Slytherin dorms." He smirked at her.

"I'm going on patrol with you." He replied.

"You most certainly are not." Hermione said stubbornly, "it's not your turn to patrol."

"So? I'm just doing an extra duty to the school. It shows my commitment. You should take note Granger."

"More like an extra pain in my arse." Hermione muttered, storming toward the portrait hole. She was going to get her rounds done as quickly as possible.

"What was that Granger? You really like my arse?" Zabini called after her. The only answer he got was the slamming of the portrait.

"Do you think she knows about you know?" Blaise asked Draco suspiciously. He snorted.

"For all the bloody brains Granger's got, I'm pretty sure she won't even suspect."

Hmmmm… what does Hermione have to suspect? A good question indeed.

And I hate to be repetitive but REVIEW!!!!! Even if you hate it. I'd like to know why.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to every one who reviewed, you made me very happy! I thank you all for the positive reviews, and a special thanx to Twitchy who pointed out my mistake (I knew Blaise was at least half black but I believe that too many Blaise Zabini Italian fanfics have gotten to my head since the last time I read HBP) and I will make sure to remember that for future fics. Sadly my winter break is over sigh but I will attempt to put up a chapter every other day. (I have a fondness for writing during chemistry)**

**Disclaimer (I forgot this in the other two chapters, forgive me Jo!): I solemnly swear that the world of Harry Potter does not belong to me, the credit for that amazing creation goes to the Great and all mighty Queen of all things Harry Potter, JK Rowling. ******** Mischief Managed.**

Hermione glared ferociously down the dark corridor. She walked along silently cursing Zabini and Malfoy. She was so preoccupied with her thoughts, she didn't notice when a hand reached out and grabbed her, pulling her into a room. She kicked trying to free herself from her attacker, but they merely let her go.

"Who the hell do you think you are!" she yelled in the dark room not knowing exactly where her attacker was in the completely dark room. Then with a flicker of movement Harry and Ron were there right in front of her eyes.

"Hermione, you sure have a hell of a punch." Harry said rubbing a spot on his shoulder. Her anger was completely forgotten as she threw herself at her two best friends, and babbled on for minutes before catching herself. When she had straightened herself out, she looked at both of them good and proper. Both were worn and weary, and had dirt and grime here and there. Harry had dark circles impressed under his vibrant green eyes, and Hermione noticed how he unconsciously rubbed his scar. Ron was the same old Ron, accept there seemed to be a new resolve in his face she had never seen before. He was growing up. They all were.

"What's happened Harry?"

"We've got the locket and the cup." He said handing her a blue bag that had the objects in it. "Keep it in here until you figure out a way to destroy it. Are there any new leads?"

Hermione slipped into a somewhat business like manner.

"Gryffindor none, but Ravenclaw had a couple of things that might have been of interest, if they still exist. There was a quill," Ron snickered, well maybe he hadn't grown that much, he was still Ron, "a book, a bracelet, and a dress."

"Why would Voldemort take interest in a dress?" Harry asked tiredly, sitting in one of the comfortable chairs the Room of Requirement supplied.

"Apparently, Rowena Ravenclaw charmed the dress to read the wearers thoughts." Ron shrugged to Harry as if to say, women. Hermione smiled and hugged both of them once again.

"What else has gone on?"

"We went to Godric's Hollow." Hermione nodded urging Harry to continue.

"I saw what happened- the night that-" Hermione once again nodded in encouragement. "the night he killed my parents. Wormtail was there, he sniveled in the doorframe and watched in his animagus, but I'm sure my father recognized him before he died." Hermione squeezed his hand gently, and Harry looked grateful for the gesture.

"Was there anything else?" Harry hesitated.

"Snape was there too. He was looking through the window. He- He- He loved my mother." Harry spat as if the thought disgusted him. Hermione however was not surprised as she had entertained the idea ever since Harry had told them about Snape's pensieve memory.

"Do you know what you'll do next?" Harry and Ron nodded.

"We're going to all the places Voldemort might have put a horcrux, until you can get a solid lead. And we're going to recruit people to the Order. A war will be soon Hermione." Hermione nodded solemnly.

"By the way, Zacharias asked me if I could begin the DA again. Do you think that would be a good idea?" She asked timidly. Harry brightened.

"That's a wonderful idea Hermione!" Hermione beamed at her best friends, but then she noticed Ron's ears were pink.

"Since when is he _Zacharias_?" Hermione was startled. She knew where this was coming from, but really, did Ron believe she would have a relationship with Smith of all people?

"Since he's my partner for potions. I got assigned to him Ronald." She said in her best no nonsense voice. Ron seemed to calm down and then visibly brighten when they said their goodbyes and Hermione kissed them both on the cheek. They apparated, which was strange because no one could apparate on Hogwarts grounds, but she knew there were many secrets in the Room of Requirement. She made sure the horcruxes were securely tucked away before leaving the Room of Requirement and brushing away the tears that started to bristle at the edges of her eyes. She remembered the sunken look on Harry's face, and the small piece of innocence that was gone in Ron's. They were out risking their lives, while she was stuck at bloody Hogwarts researching, and she hadn't even done that well with that. It was frustrating! She wanted to pound her fist into the wall until it was raw. New tears bristled at her eyes. She tried to take steadying breaths. She needed to be calm. She needed to be logical. She needed to be strong. Harry and Ron were depending on her. Straightening herself she wiped away the traces of the tears, and headed back to her rooms.

Their visit had not helped Hermione very much. In fact, it had put her in a worse state than before. She hardly did anything but research. She would start Dumbledore's Army up again soon enough but first Hermione needed to help Harry and Ron. She ignored Malfoy and Zabini, completed her head duties with the utmost discipline, and engaged in conversation every once in a while. She spent the time she wasn't in classes or doing head duties in the library. She stayed there later and later, getting small amounts of sleep. She also used her position as head girl to get into the Restricted Section. Not that it helped as much as she had hoped. As Dumbledore had informed Harry, the books on horcruxes had been removed. Still, she hoped to find some hidden insight amongst the information about the Dark Arts in general, Dark objects, and information about the soul. It was grueling, but she was doing it for Harry and Ron. She was doing it for _everyone_. So the night found her dwelling in the depths of the restricted section after ours with her face tucked snuggly in a book on dark curses. This book was a step up from the last one, no human body parts were used to make it, but still, the exposure to so much dark magic was taking a toll. She found herself reading the same sentence over and over again as the night wore on and then she felt her head get lighter as she saw the gruesome picture the sentence painted. Red started splotching her vision, and her brain started to throb. Her eyes were fixated on the page of the book, and a painful whine entered her head, hurting but enticing all the same. She felt something well up in her chest and her blood pounded fiercely in her veins. She could hear voices calling to her, almost akin to the one Harry had heard in second year that had been the basilisk. Harshly they prodded, _kill, maim, torture_ in a mantra. Her eyes burned from not blinking but she couldn't blink. The light of the lamp flickered around her slightly, but she felt a pressing sense of darkness, a sense of terror crushing around her. Her body slumped in her chair, and her eyelids drooped halfway shut, her eyes still fixated on the page and the gruesome images flashing through her brain.

"GRANGER! WHAT THE HELL, YOU BLOODY IDOIT!!!!" The voice shattered the trance, but her body fell from the chair and her mind was surrounded by darkness.

When Hermione opened her heavy lids again she was in the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey promptly forced a spoonful of medicine into her mouth, which she swallowed immediately despite its foul taste.

"What happened?" she asked tiredly.

"You fainted, my dear. You were lucky. Spending so much time amongst dark magic can have much worse negative repercussions, especially if you are not getting enough sleep and skipping meals," the healer explained sternly. Hermione blushed with embarrassment.

"I-"

"Shush. No excuses for taking such poor care of your self. Why they let you spend all your time hold up in the restricted section is beyond me, but you are not allowed to stay there for more than twenty-one hours a week. And you must get all your meals and go to sleep at proper times in the evening am I clear? " Hermione nodded with her eyes down ashamed. She should have known better! "Good. You may go." Madam Pomfrey said, bustling off to a first year who had large unseemly boils on his face. Hermione took a quick glance at the clock and headed out of the hospital and to the Great Hall for lunch. When she entered she was accosted by a very intimidating red head.

"Hermione are you alright?" she asked concerned, "I went to your dorm this morning and Malfoy told me you were in the hospital wing."

"I'm fine Ginny."

Her expression suddenly turned angry.

"Why have you been spending all your time in the restricted section Hermione?" she whispered furiously. Hermione felt a wave of guilt overcome her. She really wanted to tell Ginny, she really did, but she knew Harry would resent her if she did. No, she couldn't involve Ginny, no matter how much easier it would make things. But she also knew that Ginny would think she was 'protecting' her. Hermione looked at her best female friend pleadingly.

"I-I-I'm not allowed to tell Ginny. I wish I could-" she stammered out.

"But it's Order business." She finished coldly.

"Ginny-" Hermione tried to say comfortingly touching her friend's shoulder. Ginny shrugged.

"It's not your fault Hermione. It's the Order's. If they are not smart enough to realize that I am fully capable of partaking in this war, then it's their loss. I've just had enough of secrets being kept, especially when we are all on the same side." Ginny whispered softly. Hermione squeezed her shoulder.

"Harry misses you Ginny, and he needs you to be safe. I'm not fond of secrets either, Merlin knows that Dumbledore's didn't do anything but hurt. Still, you can see why they are necessary." Hermione replied quietly. Ginny gave her a sad smile, before dragging her out of the Great Hall.

"Wha-" Hermione started before she was shushed. Ginny lead her to an all too familiar tapestry and waked back and forth three times making a door appear. She opened the door and the same room they had used for the DA over a year ago reappeared.

"I know you were planning on restarting the DA so I talked to all the old members, and some others to see who was interested. Here is the list of names," she said handing her a couple of papers that were sitting on the table nearby, "with the ministry finally admitting that Voldemort is back the interest level has increased significantly. I also took the liberty of sending out an invite to an informational meeting this Saturday in Flitwick's room, and I've already talked to Flitwick and he's offered to sponsor us as a school club." Hermione looked at Ginny speechless. Ginny shifted.

"If you don't want to do it now-" Ginny never got to finish the thought because Hermione's arms were around her and cutting off her air supply. Ginny took a couple of deep breaths while Hermione started rambling.

"I'll need to get a plan for lessons set up, and what I have to say at the meeting, I need to schedule times, make more of the protean charm coins- Oh thank you Ginny! Would you take the honor of being my co-head?" Ginny's mood brightened immediately.

"Of course!" Then Hermione remembered the time.

"Oh my, our next class will start in five minutes!" They both rushed out the door. Hermione practically ran into Defense Against the Dark Arts and took her seat flushed and out of breath only moments before Professor Valski entered. Zacharias looked at her peculiarly.

"Are you alright Hermione?" He whispered. She nodded and began taking feverish notes as the Professor began talking about Vampires. Then a ball of paper lodged itself into the back of her head. She could hear Zabini snickering behind her as she pulled it out while continuing to take notes. The parchment owl unfolded itself on her lap, and Hermione glanced down to look at it, careful to still listen to the Professor.

_Granger,_

_Gone over to the dark side have we?_

_-Zabini_

She could almost hear the drawl and see him raising his eyebrow. How the hell did Zabini know why she was sent to the hospital wing? She crumpled the paper and continued to take notes. Then she felt something poke at her cheek. It was another charmed piece of paper this one in the shape of a crane. A blond head turned and Malfoy sent her his trademark smirk, letting her know who the owner was. Hermione snatched the paper out of the air and quickly read the note.

_Granger,_

_If you wanted to learn dark curses, you could have asked. Who knew the Gryffindor Prude was keen on the Dark Arts. End up on the wrong side?_

_DM_

Uck. She could have killed someone. Hopefully Zabini and Malfoy had kept the information to themselves, but she couldn't be sure. How the hell could they have known! It wasn't like either of them was likely to have checked on her in the hospital wing like Ginny. Were they?

The notes hinting to her involvement in the Dark Arts continued throughout the rest of the day, and it was getting to be downright annoying. Not only that, it was distracting her from her studies, and if there was one thing in the world Hermione Granger took seriously it was school. So by the end of the day Hermione Granger was to say the least, very, very annoyed. She reached the portrait and muttered "Unity" and of course sitting on the couch was one very nerve wrecking Blaise Zabini and next to him an even more nerve wrecking Draco Malfoy.

"How was your day Granger?" Zabini asked with a sickly sweet voice turning the page of a newspaper casually. She wanted to tear his head off.

"You pester me all day and then you have the _nerve_ to ask me how my day went?" She almost growled.

"Why Granger, Blaise asked you a perfectly polite question, don't you think he deserves a polite answer? I forgot. Civility is above you. Still, your lack of manners can be _annoying_." Zabini snickered behind his copy of the Daily Prophet. Annoying? _Annoying? She_ was the annoying one? She glared at Malfoy ferociously wishing she could slap that smirk off his face.

"Shut it Malfoy."

"Or what? You'll cast a dark curse on me?" Malfoy said daringly. Hermione smirked.

"Came to visit me in the hospital wing Malfoy? I'm flattered, but I'm afraid that the feelings aren't mutual." She said sitting on one of the barstools at the counter of their small kitchen and eating the brownie that had appeared on the tray. Malfoy gaped at her like a fish but Zabini was quick to respond.

"I was looking for you so that we could get started planning that bloody dance you were on about, and Pomfrey told me when I found you in the hospital wing." Malfoy winked lewdly.

"Glad to know the first idea that popped into your head was me fancying you. Sorry Granger, but I'm afraid that the feelings aren't mutual." Malfoy drawled. She ignored him.

"Fine, Zabini, let's start planning." She snapped.

**Hate it? Love it? R& R and remember reviews make happy authors, and happy authors write better. ******** Thanx again to all of you who have taken an interest into my story!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I know you guys want to get straight to the story so I'll make this quick. You're reviews have made my day, and I'm glad you all are happy with my writing. Please continue to Review!**

**Disclaimer: I really wish I did own HP, but sadly I don't. **

"You want to do what?" Zabini exclaimed with indignation.

"I want to plan the first dance for Halloween." Hermione replied affronted, it was a perfectly good idea!

"Granger, you do realize that Halloween is three weeks away?" Hermione rolled her eyes and nodded. Of course she knew!

"You really have gone daft then!" Zabini exclaimed. Hermione ignored him and pulled out a piece of parchment drawing up a calendar.

"Zabini, there is such thing as prefects and magic. Three weeks is plenty of time." Zabini stared at her like she was that three headed dog fluffy.

"How do you think we can book a group with only three weeks notice? What about publicity? We still haven't confirmed with McGonagall!" Hermione rolled her eyes again. Did Zabini believe that she wouldn't have thought of all of this before. Merlin, just because she had been researching most of the time the past two week didn't mean she had neglected her head duties.

"First I already have a list of student DJs and bands that we will audition along with the prefects, who will vote. I've already had the date and the dance approved by McGonagall, and once we have a theme of some sort we can create invitations and mail them out to students." Zabini gaped at her for a minute but quickly recovered.

"Bloody hell, Granger, do you have no life?" Hermione looked away- without Harry and Ron who occupied most of her time; she really _didn't_ have much of a life. Maybe if Ginny had been in her year things would have been different, but then again, with the DA starting back up again maybe she would have more to do than school work, head duties and research. Still it was a bit of a sore spot.

"Zabini, what ideas do you have for the bloody dance." Zabini lifted an eyebrow but said nothing more.

"Well if it's a Halloween dance maybe a sort of costume party?" Hermione nodded eagerly.

"Yes and maybe we could require everyone to keep their identities secret until a certain time, that way it would promote interhouse unity." Zabini snorted.

"Granger, how would we know who our dates were if we had masks charmed to hide the wearer's identity?" Hermione's expression fell.

"Well, I still think it would be fun to make it a masquerade."

"Do you want to create a theme for the costumes?" Hermione nodded.

"That would be good, and more uniform." They both sat silently for a while.

"We could choose a time period. That way it would be broad enough for there to be a variety of costumes, but specific enough for uniformity." Hermione nodded enthusiastically.

"The time periods that I think are our choices are Ancient Civilization, Roman Empire, Medieval period, and Renaissance." Zabini leaned back on the couch thoughtfully.

"Renaissance doesn't have that much variety. So it should be one of the other three." He said. Hermione crossed Renaissance off the list.

"I think Medieval may be a bit cliché and we don't want the dance to be that formal." She said crossing off medieval as well, "So we have Roman Empire, and Ancient Civilization."

"I think we should do Roman Empire. People know more about that time period." Zabini said.

"Plus decorations will be simple." Hermione added smiling, "Now all that's left are the invitations." Zabini nodded and took out a piece of parchment. He transfigured it into a scroll that had elegant Romanesque columns bordering the edges. It read:

_You are cordially invited to Hogwarts' first Halloween Masquerade Dance._

_This year's theme will be the Era of the Roman Empire, and all costumes must relate to this theme. The costumes, however, are not required to be formal._

_The event will take place in the Great Hall Halloween night. It will begin at eight and end at eleven._

_We hope to see you there._

"Is that sufficient Granger?" Hermione thought for a moment and flicked her wand adding students under fourth year would be required to return to their dorms by nine thirty, and then nodded.

"Perfect." Zabini picked up the parchment and tucked it into his pocket.

"I'll replicate them and send them tonight so the students will get them with their breakfast." Hermione rolled her eyes once more. Did Zabini really think the school had that many owls?

"Zabini, if you replicate them, I know a charm that will place them by each students plate in the morning." Zabini shrugged and replicated the invitations that were now neatly stacked to an impressive height on the coffee table, before walking to his room without a word. Hermione sat on the couch and began her homework, all the while thinking of who she would be. She would have to buy a costume in Hogsmeade next weekend… darn! She had to write to Gladrags so that there would be costumes to buy! She quickly wrote the letter and ran to the owlery sending it off with a small brown owl. When she returned her dormitory, she was unpleasantly surprised to find Malfoy back in her common room with Zabini.

"Out snogging Longbottom Granger?" Malfoy drawled not looking up from the book he was reading. Why was he always there? Didn't he have other friends?

"Why the sudden interest in my love life Malfoy?" Hermione snapped back, grabbing her stuff and sitting in the red chair and began writing her essay for transfiguration. Malfoy shrugged.

"Well your boyfriends Potty and Weasel aren't here, and I _have_ to know who's the next poor bloke to take interest in such a prude." She angrily slammed her book shut and headed to her room.

She needed to get rid of Malfoy. Zabini wasn't so bad on his own, but it seemed that every time Malfoy was around he got worse. Plus Malfoy wasn't exactly a bundle of daisies himself. It was like they were trying to get rid of her…. That made sense! They wanted her to resign her position as head girl! She'd be damned before she gave up the position she worked so hard for. A plan started to formulate in her head. They would regret the day they tried to make her resign!

**I know it was short, but I promise the next chapter will be worth it. Please review!!!!!!!!!!!!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you to all my reviewers, and readers, and I hope I was able to respond to all your reviews. Here is the next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I only _wish_ I owned Harry Potter and this is the result.**

She could have shot someone. _Yes_ she was getting to Malfoy and Zabini, _yes_ they were spending less time in her common room, and _yes_ she was technically "winning," but it was only with the sacrifice of her sanity! If she had to listen to Parvati or Lavender exclaim at how lucky she was to live with the '_most attractive guy in the school_' one more time she _would _hex someone. And it was most likely the person who said it who was going to be hexed.

_Thank god_ she had Ginny.

For the past two weeks, Ginny, Parvati and Lavender had practically lived with her. And for the past two weeks she had been struggling to keep herself from being driven absolutely batty. Parvati and Lavender were alright girls… until they started on gossip or boys. Then they could make a person _nuts_. And it didn't help that the objects of most of their attention were her roommate, and his best friend.

Ugh.

She couldn't possibly understand why anyone would be interested in _them_. Honestly, Malfoy had the personality of a blast-ended skrewt (which was insulting the skrewt in her opinion). And Zabini, though quite bearable and strangely quiet when Malfoy wasn't around, was as pleasant to be around as Umbridge in all her coughing glory when Malfoy was present. Yes, she could admit that Zabini was absolutely gorgeous, with his wide slanting eyes and his gorgeous black locks, who couldn't? Plus his mother was famous for being the most attractive witch in Britain. But Malfoy? Malfoy was a pale pointy-faced albino ferret.

How could anyone get _attractive_, out of that! His bleach blonde hair was bloody annoying and kept falling into his face; he really should cut it. His grey eyes were too cold and distant to be considered stormy or beautiful, and the sneer plastered on his face was not attractive at all.

Yet still Lavender and Parvati prattled on about how they would _love_ a chance to be with the Slytherin Sex _God_! Who the hell would _touch _let alone _sleep_ with him other than Parkinson?

Ack. She would never think that again. Bad imagery.

At least the dance was coming along nicely. They had auditioned the bands and DJs. Colin and Dennis Creevey had turned out to be amazing DJs. Plus they had found a band which was wonderful. Who knew that Theodore Nott could sing and play guitar? And that Millicent Bulstrode could play piano like Beethoven, and that _Parkinson_ of all people played the drums? It was mind boggling actually. The most surprising fact though, was that there was a Hufflepuff in their group. And not just any Huffleppuff; it was Ernie Macmillan! They called themselves the Hungarian Horntails, (Ernie had admitted to her that they had named themselves that after the Triwizard tournament) and they were _good._

The only thing not yet ready was her costume. They had a Hogsmeade weekend the week before, and there would be one before the dance, but Hermione still didn't know what she would go as. Of course she had drawn up a list of all the ideas and they were as follows:

The Goddess Brigid

Morgan le Fey

The Goddess Diana, formerly known as Artemis

Thalia

Cybele

The Goddess Pax

Hanna Hanna

Iris

She didn't want to show up as someone that everyone would suspect, so she decided that Cybele was out of the question, being that her symbol was a lion. Then for Iris she would have to have wings, which could be cumbersome on the dance floor. And Hanna Hanna would probably have darker skin, so that left Morgan le Fey, Brigid, Pax, Thalia, and Diana. She would decide which after looking at costumes again. Ginny was going as the beautiful Irish warrior goddess Macha, which Hermione thought suited her perfectly. Lavender and Parvati had prattled on and on about how Parvati was going as Kali, and Lavender as Juno. Ginny had promised to go with her and help her pick out a costume, even though she already had hers.

She had also had the first DA meeting, and a surprising amount of students showed up. Even more surprising, Hermione held an open election for who would be the leader, with nominations and all, and not only had she won unanimously, she had also been the only nominee nominated! She only hoped she would do well, and they wouldn't be disappointed. The funniest thing was that three Slytherins had shown up. Of course it hadn't been anyone that was well known in the Slytherin house, but Theodore Nott, Tracy Davis, and Millicent Bulstrode had been there. And they had voted for _her_.

Maybe there was hope for interhouse unity.

Hermione finished the last sentence for her Defense against the Dark Arts essay, and sighed. For once she had the Common Room all to herself. No prattling Parvati and Lavender, and especially no Malfoy or Zabini. She got out the history book she was reading for research and snuggled into the warm chair to read. The fire crackled pleasantly from the hearth, and there was a calm silence. For the first time in a long time she felt _relaxed_. And that was how she drifted into the best sleep she had had in months.

The drone of her alarm clock woke hear the next morning. She nearly jumped out of her bed. She was fully dressed and then she remembered that she hadn't even fallen asleep in it. The last she remembered, she was snuggled up in the red armchair reading the book on the founders… the book! Just before she fell asleep she had found something that might have been Gryffindor's. The book was neatly on her nightstand, and in it was a bookmark that she was strangely familiar with, but didn't own. Flipping to the page, she scrolled down and found the line.

_Godric Gryffindor was a skilled inventor. He was said to have invented many charms, but many were lost with the journal he kept them in._

This could have been a horcrux. It was the only thing she could find mention of other than the sword. Hermione shrieked at her find. The door adjoining her room to the bath room flew open.

"Granger are you alright?" Zabini snapped. She jumped, slamming the book shut and stared at Zabini. He wasn't wearing a shirt as usual, and towel was thrown over his shoulder. His normally impeccable hair was askew in all different directions making him look…. Human. And at that moment Hermione felt the need to laugh. So she did.

"What in the bloody hell are you laughing at Granger? You just shrieked like a bloody banshee!" he said annoyed. Hermione immediately stopped laughing and realized that he must have been the one to carry her upstairs. Looking down at the bookmark she realized that she had seen Zabini using it on many occasions. And looking around her room she noticed her bag was laid right at the feet of her desk how she liked it, and her essay and quill neatly aligned on the desk. She stared at Zabini again unabashedly with shock. Zabini tapped his foot annoyed.

"What's a matter with you Granger?" Hermione blinked slowly.

"You carried me upstairs." She replied feeling dumb. Zabini snorted.

"I levitated you upstairs."

"You brought my bag up and laid it vertical against the desk." She stated. Zabini shifted uncomfortably.

"Yes… I noticed you get annoyed when it's not vertical."

"You marked my page for me in my book."

"Well, I would never sabotage someone else's research- unless it would benefit me of course." Hermione would have rolled her eyes if she wasn't so stunned.

"Why?" Zabini shifted uncomfortably again.

"You looked uncomfortable, and it didn't take much effort to do it, so I did."

"Thank you." Zabini nodded in acceptance and went back into the bathroom closing the door after him. Hermione put her clothes on the bed. And entered the bathroom. Zabini had finished, and she quickly brushed her teeth and took a shower, before getting dressed. She knew she was running late so she decided to eat in the Common Room. She headed downstairs and on the counter a plate appeared with a muffin and eggs, and a mug of coffee next to it. She gratefully drank the coffee and ate her breakfast, contemplating over the mornings events. There had to be a reason Zabini did that. She just couldn't see how the action had benefited him in any way. But she knew there had to be a reason. And she would figure it out. But in the meantime she would bask in the success of finally having something to tell Harry and Ron.

"Ginerva Weasley, I am _not_ putting on that scrap of cloth that you refer to as a dress on." Hermione stated stubbornly glaring at the toga Ginny held up. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"You said you'd trust me. Remember the dress I picked out for you for the Yule Ball? I know what to choose. Just put it on and if you don't like it we'll put it back. Simple." Hermione grudgingly took the dress and changed into it. She tugged nervously at the hem, walking out of the dressing room feeling terribly self- conscious. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"You can't go as a nymph and it's a shame. Your hair is perfect for wood nymph or muse look." Hermione glared at Ginny, and she was sent back in the dressing room with another costume. An hour and many costumes later, Hermione came out of the dressing room and Ginny gaped. Ginny motioned for her to spin, and Hermione heard a wolf-whistle from the cashier who winked at her, causing her to blush a very deep red.

"Hermione, you look perfect." Ginny stated.

And she got the dress.

And of course, Ginny insisted they go buy accessories as well.

**So we see the first spark. Please review. And I promise it will get even better. Here's a taste.**

_A hawk with sharp talons dropped toward the dance floor dropping a crimson envelope into her hands that was wet. _


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello to all and I'm sorry for the terribly long update, I've been very busy this week, but here is the next chapter, and thank you for pointing out the discrepancy, I did say previously that Colin and Dennis Creevy were not at school this year, but it slipped my mind as I was writing the previous chapters, and I thought the hyper active boys would be extremely funny as DJs so…. They came back:D I'll try not to make such mistakes in the future, and once again thank you to all of my reviewers!**

"That doesn't go there!" Hermione yelled at the prefect hanging the banner in the wrong place. When she said a little to the left, she didn't mean two _yards _to the left. She flicked her wand and the banner was put in its proper place. She looked around at the great hall. There was a mixture of Halloween and Roman decorations tastefully blended. The only problem was that half the decorations weren't up yet.

"No, no, no you're doing the wand movement _all _wrong!" Hermione yelled, before showing a Hufflepuff she wasn't familiar with the proper movement.

"You're doing it wrong," a voice mimicked behind her in a whiny voice. Hermione rolled her eyes and knocked into Malfoy purposefully before going back to levitating the jack-o-lanterns.

"Granger, once again you display your deplorable lack of manners." He drawled once again behind her. Her only response was to roll her eyes again and give him another shove.

"Go find someone else's nerves to grate on Malfoy." Then a completely genuine whine came to her ears.

"Don't talk to Drakie-poo that way mudblood. And keep your filthy body away from him too." Pug- faced Parkinson said. Hermione rolled her eyes. How stupid could Parkinson be? Really, did she really think she could get away with insulting the Head Girl?

"That will be twenty points from Slytherin, and detention with Filch next Thursday for insulting the Head Girl and use of offensive language, Miss Parkinson," she said not even bothering to turn and face the pug-faced bint. The dumb expression on Parkinson's face she could see out of the corner of her eye was priceless.

"B-b-but prefects can't take points from other prefects!" she shrieked. Hermione smirked about to answer when Malfoy did.

"She's Head Girl you idiot, now go away before you lose us more points." Malfoy practically growled.

"But Drakie-poo-" Parkinson simpered. Malfoy glared at her.

"Don't call me that. And just go Parkinson." Hermione snickered as Parkinson scampered off ashamedly. Malfoy disappeared to do his job soon after, but of course not with out a few snide comments shot at her, which she ignored.

She finished placing the last of her jack-o-lanterns and grinned happy, with her work. There was two hours before the dance and they were nearly finished. However, there would be at least a good half an hour before everything was set. She went over to the lights that were being set up before a booming voice startled her.

"All of the girls are free to go, the rest of the guys will finish up while you go do all of your girly preparations." Zabini said with the aid of a sonorous charm. Most of the girls giggled and exited without complaint. But not Hermione.

"Zabini I am not leaving you in charge of everything. You'll change it all to Slyhterin colors!" Zabini rolled his eyes.

"Merlin Granger, if you haven't noticed, there are more males from the other houses than there are Slytherin here. Go get primped up, Merlin knows you need it." Malfoy snickered.

"I'm sure you'll be surprised tonight Granger." Malfoy added.

Hermione huffed, but followed Ginny as she led her out of the Great Hall and into the Gryffindor girls' dormitories. Ginny had convinced her to get ready with her, Lavender, and Parvati. Hermione slipped on her dress, happy about the way it fit her and then proceeded to go to the mirror and try to figure out what she was going to do with the abomination she called hair. She proceeded to bring out the ten bottles of Sleakzy's Hair Potions she had brought with her. Dousing her hair in one bottle of the stuff, she started brushing, but of course, it was still being unmanageable, so she poured another bottle in her hair.

"Merlin, Hermione, what are you doing?" Ginny, Lavender, and Parvati shrieked simultaneously. Where they crazy?

"My hair," Hermione said. Wasn't it obvious? Lavender scooped up her bottles of Sleakzy's and threw them in the trash.

"What's the matter with you? Now how am I supposed to do my hair!" she yelled. Parvati tsked her. She _tsked_ her for Merlin's sake!

"That stuff is extremely bad for your hair. Why don't you just use charms? You're good enough at them." Parvati explained.

"There are charms for your hair?" Hermione asked wide-eyed. Lavender looked shocked.

"_Hermione Granger_ doesn't know about beauty charms?" she asked incredulously.

"Why would people waste time making beauty charms?" Hermione snapped back annoyed at her own ignorance. Ginny smiled at her friend.

"We'll take care of it." She said. Hermione looked at the eager girls warily. Did she really want Lavender and Parvati to do her hair and make-up? The girls did a good job on themselves, but she liked a bit of a… softer approach on hair and make-up. Then again, Ginny was there….

And before she knew it, it was out of her hands altogether. Looking at the mirror, she gasped. Her hair was still in tight curls, but is was smoother, yet still containing its volume. Her hair was half down, and half up, the up part twisted into an elegant bun in the center of her head. Silver eye shadow surrounded her eyes tastefully, and her lashes were darkened. Her lips had a light shine, but their normal color, and Hermione had to admit the girls had done a lovely job.

"Thank you," she said, still a bit dazed. Lavender and Parvati looked at each other smugly, and Ginny looked at her with pride. Hermione talked with the other girls as they prepped, and Lavender and Parvati taught her the charm they had used to make her hair to make it smoother. Soon it was time to add final touches. She clasped the golden cuffs around her wrists, put on her mask and slung her bow and quiver of arrows over her shoulder. She looked down at the small jewelry box she had brought with her and opened it, pulling out the protective crystal necklace Harry and Ron gave her that had a golden glow around it. It felt warm against her skin and she smiled satisfied at her reflection.

Hermione turned to look at Ginny, Lavender, and Parvati, who all looked gorgeous in their own rights. Parvati was wearing Indian attire that was too revealing to be considered traditional, and was dressed in the bold red and gold Gryffindor colors. Lavender was in a light pink toga that could scarcely be considered decent, but Hermione was used to the girl's unconventional clothing. Ginny of course looked stunning as always. Her red hair laying down, a red halo around her head. Her dress was knee length cut gladiator style, with gold embroidery covering the top half spelled to look like metal. Hermione turned ready to leave when Ginny caught her shoulder and flicked her wand a couple of times, and Hermione felt something on her head. She looked in the mirror and on her head was a crow of deep red roses. She looked at Ginny questioningly and Ginny shrugged.

"You needed a bit of Gryffindor red." Hermione grinned at her friend. They linked arms and headed down to the Great Hall. They seemed to be a bit late, and Hermione started to fidget nervously. She didn't want to make a spectacle of herself like back in fourth year with the Yule Ball. She had liked proving to the whole school that she was in fact a _girl_ (mostly to Ron), but she didn't care about that this time. This time she just wanted to have fun, and blend in.

"Ginny, I don't know-" she started but Ginny just sent her a withering glare daring her to protest. Hermione shut up and followed the red head to the door. Gulping Ginny flicked her wand and the doors opened.

The boys really had done a wonderful job. Her jack-o-lanterns floated around the perimeter of the Great Ball, and the hall was illuminated by thousands of candles in the ceiling. The walls were cream colored and there were Roman Columns with sparkling orange and black streamers twisted around them. The Banner above the platform that the music equipment read '' and there were refreshment and sitting tables around the edges of the room. People had already started dancing on the dance floor, and Hermione was happy with her efforts. She couldn't wait until they got the last surprise. Then she noticed that everyone had gotten quite and was looking at Ginny. Hermione rolled her eyes. She knew her friend was pretty but really, the eyes were starting to make _her _uncomfortable. Little did she know, they weren't looking at her friend, but _her._ Her dress was silver and looked like fluid around her, fitting her perfectly, it wasn't short like many of the other dresses that girls were wearing, it was actually quite long but had to long slits on the side that Hermione was still a bit conscious about. Around her waist was a deep green sash embroidered with silver moons, like her mask, however on the sash a stag ran around her waist in circles. It was her testament to Harry and Ron. She wore the traditional Grecian sandals, tied up her leg and looked perfect for the part of Diana, the goddess of the moon and woods.

Ginny urged her down the stairs and Lavender and Parvati went off with Seamus and Dean, their dates. Ginny and Hermione had decided to go together seeing as Ginny didn't want to go with any guy other than Harry and Hermione… well she hadn't really wanted to go with anyone. It didn't _feel_ right. She didn't know if it was because of Ron or something else, plus she didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings and several guys had asked her to the ball. And she had already promised to go with Ginny. Eventually people stopped staring and went back to their activities, but there were many who couldn't figure out just who the girl in silver was. They knew the red head was Ginny Weasley, so maybe the girl was a sixth year? No, she had looked older. So it was speculation.

Hermione and Ginny headed over to the table where they spotted Neville nervously holding the hand of Luna Lovegood who was smiling serenely. Luna surprisingly had chosen to go as Venus also known as Aphrodite, and looked positively dazzling. She looked very much like the sly goddess of love. Neville was in a deep red toga that had moving flames at the bottom.

"Are you Vulcan, Neville?" Hermione asked nicely. Neville blushed ant nodded, knowing Hermione would know the back story of his costume.

"Well Neville, you are a deal more attractive than him I believe," she said gently. Neville blushed even more and Luna smiled at him her eyes gleaming behind her light blue mask that had ocean waves on it that splashed up and foamed around the edges but stayed on the mask.

"You look quite handsome Neville." Luna affirmed. Hermione had to suppress the urge to sigh wistfully. They were _adorable._ Ginny looked at her with the same expression. Then she got an evil glint in her eye.

"We are going to dance!" Ginny said pulling her out on the dance floor. Hermione laughed at her friends antics and danced to the loud music along with her. Maybe now would be a good time for her surprise. She looked at the clock and saw it was only eight forty five. She'd bring out the surprise at nine. She danced with Ginny when suddenly there were hands on her waist and she could feel a guy behind her she turned around and gasped when she saw Zacharias behind her wearing the coat of arms of Alexander the Great. She raised an eyebrow.

"The Great Zacharias?" He laughed and spun her before grabbing her waist. They danced for a while before she excused herself to go find Ginny, and she went to go get a drink. She poured herself some punch.

"Save me a dance Diana? Or should I say Granger?" A lilting voice that she knew much better than she wanted to. She rolled her eyes and turned to Zabini looking at his costume. His toga displayed half of his well toned chest which Hermione was now used to seeing and it was of course in a deep shade of green with silver lining. Slung on his back was a quiver of arrows and a bow much like her own. There were leaves stuck in his immaculate black locks giving him a nymph like look, and his mask framed his wide intense indigo eyes. The mask had to faces on either side of it, and there was a green vine wrapped around his wrist. Hermione had to admit to herself that he looked…_ delicious._ Did she just think that?

"Of course Zabini or should I say Virbius?" she replied willing her traitorous thoughts to disappear. Zabini smirked and nodded before disappearing into the throng of people know crowding the dance floor. Hermione could see the Hungarian Horntails were setting up and she was ready to be blown away. Dennis and Colin threw magic glow sticks out after their last number for the time being and joined the throng of students waiting to hear the Horntails. Once Theo had started his countdown she waited until just before one and muttered the spell she had made. The floor started shooting lights up and mist erupted on the stage, clearing as the Horntails began their performance. Hermione grinned happily as the students looked amazed and once again began dancing. They were having a good time, and that was what they needed, a break from the war. She was spun around to see a familiar red head. But it was not the red head she was expecting.

"Fred?!" she screamed. And the she felt a tap on her shoulder, and saw the former's identical twin. "George!" she screamed hugging the twin tightly. Even though she had always disapproved of the twins methods of testing their products, she had always gotten along with the two. They were truly a brilliant pair, not to mention hilarious.

"You owe me, I told you she could tell us apart Gred." Fred shrugged and handed his twin a galleon. Hermione looked at the exchange disapprovingly. Fred rolled his eyes and hugged her.

"So, how's our favorite bookworm doing?" he said tugging on a curl. Hermione rolled her eyes at him.

"As well as can be expected of course. Now, how are you doing, and though I'm ecstatic to see you, why are you here?" She said seriously.

"Hear that Fred she's _ecstatic_ to see us." George chuckled.

"As in 'in ecstasy' right George?" Fred replied with a dramatic wink.

"We're here for fun, and if it's ecstasy the lady wants, its ecstasy the lady gets," George replied with a dramatic bow. She glared at the twins, but they simply ignored her and pulled on to the dance floor between them. Hermione sighed and gave up to the twins' antics dancing with them and enjoying herself very much. Fred pulled her close to him from behind and whispered into her ear.

"Harry and Ron found one." Hermione widened her eyes and gasped. When George turned her and pulled her up against him.

"Yes we know about them, and they have a message for you." He whispered like Fred.

They continued dancing and whispering the information fervently.

"Owls couldn't be trusted-"

"So we were sent-"

"And they said they've got-"

"the q item." George finished as the twins proceeded to sandwich her between them. Hermione wanted to squeal with triumph, she had helped them with the quill! Fred chuckled.

"We knew you'd be, what was that word again? _Ecstatic_." Hermione smiled and danced with the twins before they both left departing with kisses on the cheek. A figure in the shadows looked on jealously the whole time. Hermione was turned around again by Blaise, no Zabini.

"I've come to collect my dance." He smirked. Hermione shrugged and danced with him for a bit before another figure cut in. He was in a gold toga, embroidered with suns. His blond hair gleamed richly in the light, and his mask was gold. The guy had to have been a Gryffindor, and was obviously Apollo. Zabini raised an eyebrow at the newcomer who shrugged before grabbing her hand and pulling her close to him. They danced and talked, Hermione itching to know who the mystery guy was. She had resolved that there was the possibility that he was a hufflepuff as well but she didn't remember this smiling gorgeous guy from anywhere. Plus he was intelligent. Very intelligent. And he seemed to know who she was. Hermione found she liked this guy, and figured that he probably cast a glamour his hair to fit the profile of Apollo, and that could be why she couldn't identify him.

They kept dancing and then the Horntails started a slow song and she blushed, about to pull away, but the boy pulled her close again. She smiled and continued to dance with him resting her head on his shoulder.

Then a blood curdling screech filled the air and the music stopped. A hawk with sharp talons extended lethally dropped toward the dance floor dropping a crimson envelope into Hermione's hands that was wet. The metallic smell of blood his her nostrils and she dropped the envelop that unfolded, the lights of the dance floor still blinking around her. The blood rose into the air painting suspended words, and leaving a crisp clean white envelop in it's stead.

_Mudblood, _

_We hope you enjoy our congratulation letter on the death of you filthy parents. This is their dirty blood you're seeing and we have disposed of their taint on the world tonight. May the reign of the Dark Lord never end._

_Sweet Dreams,_

_Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy_

The Dark mark was signed at the bottom in her parents' blood.

She felt nauseous.

The whole world was spinning in circles.

And then it was black.

**I know its sad, but that's what happened. I hope you liked this chapter. Now we will finally get into the real HG/DM/BZ magic.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you for your comments, and I just had to get the next chapter out of my head so here it is, and I know, you're not complaining. Well here it is. It will get lighter soon. REVIEW or I will die and never be able to write again, and we wouldn't want that now would we? **

**Disclaimer: I'm sad to say that the Harry Potter Universe does not belong to me. I simply like to mess with Jo's plots. **

It was like swimming in a sea of darkness. She could hear voices, swirling around in the darkness, unreachable. And then she heard a voice that stood out amongst the others. And she recognized it. It was her mother's voice, and all of a sudden her senses and memories rushed back to her like a tidal wave pushing her forward only to take her back under. Her heavy lids lifted at her compulsion, but still drooped heavily. Her vision blurred and refocused, allowing her to see the people around her. The intensity of the light around her caused her to flinch, but the colors quickly went back to normal. She could see three heads of red around her bedside. Two Identical ones on her left, and the one female Weasley on her right.

How had it been since she had been talking jovially to Fred and George at the dance? It had seemed an eternity ago as she thought about the emptiness she felt.

Her parents were gone.

They would never scold her for using the magical method of brushing her teeth when she was lazy again. They would never hug her as she came home from the Hogwarts Express again. They would never see her again. They would never talk to her again.

They would never _breathe_ again.

And all because of that cold hearted bastard Malfoy and his crazy bitch of a cousin Lestrange. For the first time, Hermione felt what it was to truly _hate_.

And the thought was more sickening than whatever was wrong with her body.

She tried to move her hands out of Ginny and Fred's grip but the red head's stirred immediately, Ginny looking at her with relief and engulfing her in a strong embrace. Hermione groaned, a burst of pain had erupted in her chest, right at the scar where Dolohov had cursed her was. It hadn't hurt like that since she had first received it. Ginny immediately let her go and got Madam Pomfrey. For the first time in Hermione's life she looked at Fred and George and there was not a trace of mirth in either of their expressions. Not even in their eyes. Madam Pomfrey forced her to drink a horrid potion which she downed easily, and informed her she would be staying in the Hospital Wing for a couple of days.

"What happened to me?"

"That letter had a very dark curse on it, and it affected the treatment you where given for that nasty curse you suffered from a couple years ago." Madam Pomfrey answered tidying up her bedside.

"What was the curse?"

"I'm not authorized to answer that." She told her brusquely. Hermione glared at the mediwitch who ignored her, and turned back to her friends. Ginny looked as if she wanted to say something, and Fred and George contentedly sat in silence simply holding her hand.

She wanted to scream, but her mouth wouldn't open. She wanted to cry but her eyes were dry. She wanted to throw something, anything, but her arms felt like lead and lay limply by her side. Finally she turned away not knowing what to do. There was a heavy silence when Ginny finally lifted a hand and handed her a white envelope. She closed her eyes in pain, but took the envelope addressed to her in McGonagall's flowing script. Shaking she opened it, and a picture of her parents standing next to her in their crisp white dentist coats holding a smiling Hermione who was clutching Crookshanks in her arms grinning, her hair just as wild as ever fell out. The edges were burnt and she closed her eyes, comprehending what had happened.

"No." she whispered hoarsely. She clutched the plain muggle photo to her chest, remember how it had been taken when she first received her Hogwarts letter. Ginny looked at her sympathetically.

"It was all they could find." She said squeezing her hand. Hermione closed her eyes as tightly as she could.

"What happened?" she finally managed to say. Ginny sighed.

"The Order had put up wards around your house at the beginning of the term. They didn't think the Death Eaters would go after them, but they were mistaken. Apparently, the Death Eaters broke the wards and killed your parents quickly, only moments before the Order came. They died quickly and weren't Crucio'd- but the Death Eaters apparated away with their bodies. That's where the blood came from. They burned your house down, and threw the picture at Tonks before they left." Ginny said softly. Hermione felt her throat close.

"Who- Who did it?" she asked. Ginny looked down before muttering "Lestrange and Malfoy." Hermione had already known the answer, but she wanted to hear it. She took a deep breath.

"What's the ministry doing?"

"They hushed the attack up, Voldemort's people are heads of every department but the auror department and the department of mysteries. They're trying to get laws hurting muggleborns passed, but apparently the auror department and department of mysteries are ready to turn against them at any time, and that's where the strongest witches and wizards are. Most of the Wizenmagot has been replaced, and there's rumour that Scimegour is imperio'd. Dad quit, and the ministry isn't capable of anything anymore. It won't be long till it falls." Hermione felt anger well up in her chest. She wanted Lestrange dead. She wanted Malfoy dead. And she wanted to do it herself. Then at the thought of Malfoy she remembered something Malfoy junior had said.

_I'm sure you'll be surprised._

He had known. That must have been what he had meant. He knew. He knew they were going after her parents, and he hadn't told the Order. They could have been saved. He had killed her parents. It didn't matter that he hadn't raised his wand and said the killing curse itself.

He had killed her parents.

She would kill them. Lestrange and Malfoy. They would _suffer._ That was her promise.

It was Malfoy's fault. She felt a new form of adrenaline, and got up, wrenching her hand from the Weasleys' grips. She ran out of the room, despite the hospital gown she was wearing, and the protest her sore body was giving.

He would pay.

She came to her portrait and darkly muttered the password, her hand shaking as she gripped her wand, her knuckles whit with strain. The portrait swung open, and she had her wand pointed at his pale neck in moments. He looked at her shock and Zabini looked… frightened. She could have laughed. She probably looked a right mess but she didn't care.

"It's your fault." She whispered darkly. Malfoy looked at her sympathetically.

"Granger, I didn't do anything."

"You _knew_. You _knew _and you didn't tell the Order. You could have saved them. You _killed _my parents." She repeated in the same tone coldly. She was aware her arm was shaking and her body wanted to collapse. But all she could feel was anger. And hate. Pure, unadulterated hate.

"Granger-" he said gently. But she didn't want to hear it. She didn't want anymore excuses.

"I don't want to here it Malfoy. I thought maybe you had changed. Yes, maybe you were still a downright bastard, but I thought you had changed your views. I was _wrong_. You're still a racist git who wants to follow in daddy's footsteps and rid the world of mudbloods." And then she was slammed against the wall again.

"I am not my father Granger. I didn't know about your parents. I'm sorry I didn't. Then I could've warned you. I'm not the bad guy here. Yes I may be mean to you, but we don't like each other. I would never want your parents dead. I'm sorry about your parents, but I told you never to speak about my father. I probably hate the bastard more than you. I've already vowed to kill him so you don't have to worry." He growled.

"But you talked about a surprise. You said…." she whimpered, the pain returning. Malfoy looked at her funny before a dawn of comprehension came over his features.

"I meant my costume Granger. Merlin, you didn't figure out?" She looked at him questioningly ignoring the pain. If he hadn't meant her parents…. she didn't even remember seeing him at the ball.

"I was Apollo Granger. You said we would redecorate the hall in Slytherin colors, but I showed up in Gryffindork gold. I thought it was ironic." He explained, gently. It was the first time he had spoken to her without an edge ever. Her eyes widened. And she felt the pain at her scar again and gasped. Malfoy immediately let her go, and she curled up and her anger melted away.

There was only pain, emotional and physical.

Tears flooded her face and sobs came choked from her throat. She stood there alone, quivering, when she felt a pair of arms encircle her.

"It'll be alright Granger." Malfoy murmured. But it wouldn't. And Malfoy couldn't understand that.

"You don't know what you're talking about." She managed to say between her sobs. Malfoy jerked her to face him, and looked into her puffed up eyes coldly, the warm emotion behind them gone.

"Don't I? My mother is dead Granger. My father killed her for protecting me. She refused to give up my location."

Hermione was stunned that the sobs stopped, and she felt weighed down with guilt as Malfoy left into Blaise's room slamming the door. She sunk to the floor, and cried even more, now for Malfoy as well as herself. Another pair of arms encircled her and she cried against Zabini, until no more tears would fall, and her throat couldn't choke out one more sob. He rubbed her back soothingly and she found herself slow falling into a desperate world of dreams where everything was alright, right there on the common room floor.

She was too far gone to feel Zabini lift her up and carry her back to the hospital wing, to the surprise of the three red heads, still sitting there in shock. He left without a word, after tucking her back under the sheets and telling Madam Pomfrey what happened, who clucked at Hermione's sleeping form like a mother hen.

When she awoke she was in a similar position as she had been before, with the picture clutched to her chest, and the red heads absent. Madam Pomfrey made her take more of the foul medicine. And then let her go. She changed into her uniform, and walked down the empty hallways of Hogwarts feeling lonelier than ever before. She wondered if Harry and Ron knew what happened, and a small wisp of hope that they might come to see her came and slipped away like smoke. Defeated she quietly muttered the password. Zabini wasn't in the common room, and she knew she should thank him for yesterday, and apologize to Malfoy. No, she wouldn't think of him as Malfoy anymore. It was _wrong._ His father was Malfoy now. He- He was Draco.

She knocked on Zabini's door and when he didn't answer she turned the knob and opened the door.

She froze shocked at what she saw.

Draco and Blaise were fused together at the lips, and Draco threw Blaise's usually pristine white oxford to the floor in a crumpled ball. Draco's chest was also bare, and gleamed in the light, pale alabaster melded against Blaise's golden glow.

It was the most erotic thing she had seen in her life.

She couldn't bring herself to move or look away. It was like she had been glued to the floor. Blaise growled and pushed Draco into his green bed, rumpling the immaculate sheets. It wasn't until Draco murmured "Gods Zabini" that her trance was broken. She gasped and turned to leave, when she heard the two boys stop. She looked over her shoulder and sure enough they were staring at her, still in their compromising position. Her eyes widened.

"I-I wanted to th-thank Blaise for yesterday, and ap-apologize for what I s-said, I d-didn't" she stammered out blushing hotly. They just stared at her. Hermione couldn't take it anymore and fled to the common room sitting on the couch and trying to process what happened.

Draco and Blaise were in a relationship. That explained the covert looks, the constant company… why hadn't she noticed before? It was probably the fact that they were both well known for the sexual exploits with the female population at Hogwarts. Maybe that was a cover up for their relationship? It was the most likely explanation. She sat there ruminating, when Blaise's door opened and the two boys in question came down the stairs looking thoroughly snogged. She blushed hotly remember what she had interrupted… they looked like they were going to do a lot more than _snogging_, and the image came unbidden in her mind of what they were headed toward. They sat in the chairs and looked at her awkwardly. Blaise's cheeks were flushed… was he blushing? And Draco looked uncertain his pale blond hair rumpled. They all started talking at the same time.

"I'm s-"

"We can-"

"Will you-"

And then stopped looking at each other uncertainly. And then Hermione started laughing. The boys looked at her strangely before joining in, and then they stopped and there was an awkward silence again.

"I'm sorry for interrupting such a _personal_ moment between you two." Hermione finally said. Blaise shrugged.

"It's alright. Your intentions were entirely honorable." He reassured her. Hermione shifted awkwardly and looked down.

"I promise I won't tell anyone, but I guess I should've figured it out before and then we wouldn't be in this situation." Draco looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"And why didn't you figure it out before?" Hermione could feel her face grow even hotter. _Merlin_, she must look like a tomato!

"I've been informed of your _liaisons_ with particular females." She stammered, thoroughly embarrassed for being caught knowing gossip. Draco and Blaise smirked.

"All good things I hope?" Draco said smugly. Hermione glared at him, which only caused him to smirk even more.

"At least we know we gave them something to talk about eh Blaise?" he said winking at her. She rolled her eyes, forgetting about everything going on around her and feeling comfortable. Blaise shrugged and sent her a wink.

"Want to find out what all the talk was about love?" Hermione threw a pillow at him.

"Fine, Granger, I take that as a no."

"It's Hermione. My name is Hermione," she said softly. Blaise cocked his head at her and nodded.

"Alright Hermione." He said smiling. And she had to admit he looked quite beautiful with a smile. But she shook the thought out of her head. She stood and started to walk to her room when she heard Draco call out.

"Catch you later Granger." She glared at him and he shrugged. "Think of it as a term of endearment." He drawled. Hermione laughed. He was still a right bastard. But he seemed more _human._ She closed her door, and saw the picture lying on her disheveled bed, closing her eyes as she felt the emotion return to her. She changed and slipped into the bed holding the picture close to her and tossed and turned as the nightmares took over.

**Told you the wall would finally be broken. I know you were all waiting impatiently, and it took a while, but I couldn't see Hermione starting to become friendly with them without a push. Please continue to review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you my reviewers! I'm glad you all like the story. I'm sorry for the longer update, but here is your next chapter. I don't own Harry Potter, and I don't make money off of it. And now you are allowed to read.**

Her head felt like a thousand thestrals had trampled over it. She reached out to her bedside and gulped down the medicine. Burying her head into her pillow she waited for the pounding to subside. Once her head cleared up she climbed out of the bed and trudged to the bathroom. She opened the door and rubbed her eyes.

"Bloody Hell!" Hermione shrieked. The bleach blonde head at the sink raised and eyebrow at her.

"So, the Gryffindor golden girl has a potty mouth?" he drawled leaning against _her _marble countertop. And he was using _her_ sink. And that was _her_ _bloody towel on his bare shoulder!_

"Draco what in Merlin's name are you doing in my bathroom?" She asked doing her best to keep from snatching her towel off his shoulder.

"Actually Hermione, this is _our _bathroom." Blaise said from the doorway to his room. Gods, did he have to look so… thoroughly shagged?

"Still, _he_ is not Blaise Zabini as far as I am concerned, and therefore not the head boy. And even if this is our bathroom, he is at _my_ sink and that is _my _towel on his shoulder." She retorted, ignoring his disheveled state. She couldn't help but look at his tousled curls a moment to long though. Draco caught her look and winked. She blushed embarrassed at being caught before marching over and grabbing her toothbrush. She was not going to be late to class just because her roommate and his… boyfriend were being difficult. The problem was, the toothpaste was on the other side of Draco's very naked torso.

"Your towel Granger? You have green towels?" Draco said taking her towel off his shoulder. Hermione sniffed.

"Yes, I do." Draco snickered.

"So when you get out the shower, the color that touches your bare skin is Slytherin-"

"I'll have you know that green was a perfectly respectable color long before Salazar Slytherin chose it for one of his house colors. Now, could you hand me my toothpaste." She huffed not really wanting to hear the rest of his statement. Blaise rolled his eyes and pushed himself off the doorway. He made a big show of sauntering over to Draco, sliding his hand across his chest, and grabbing her toothpaste. Hermione couldn't help but stare as his hand slid across Draco's toned pale muscles, eliciting a gasp from the normally stoic blond, grabbed her toothpaste and dragged the bottle back across his chest.

She glared at a smirking Blaise as she snatched her toothpaste from his hand and began to ferociously brush her teeth. She heard Blaise chuckle as she went through her morning routine scowling. She stormed out of the bathroom and waited until they were done before taking her shower and going downstairs to grab a muffin for breakfast seeing as it was too late to go to the Great Hall. Tucking the picture in her pocket, she composed herself before grabbing her bag and going down the steps. She smiled weakly as three redheads turned toward her from the couch.

"Catch Granger," she heard a voice from the kitchen say. She caught the blueberry muffin in her hand and nodded gratefully to Draco who gave her a slight nod of acknowledgment. She looked nervously at Ginny before the redhead ran over and gave her a strong hug.

She squeezed Ginny tightly in return and suppressed the small prickle of tears in the corner of her eyes.

"Sorry to break up the love fest between you and our sister-"

"But we would like an armful of our favorite bookworm-"

"As well." Fred and George said enveloping her in another hug once Ginny let go.

"We're here for you 'Mione," the twins said simultaneously. Hermione grimaced theatrically.

"Must you call me that god awful name?" Of course that only prompted identical smirks from the twins.

"Oh 'Mione, 'Mione whose eyes gleam gold-" Fred said kneeling and grabbing her hand.

"Mione, 'Mione can I have a roll-" George continued grabbing her other hand and spinning her.

"In the sack with you 'Mione-"

"Your name rhymes with heiney-"

"As much as I am enjoying this Gryffindork love fest, classes begin in three minutes." Blaise said leaning on the counter and crunching on an apple, miraculously managing to smirk at the same time. Draco snickered. Hermione glared at Draco and Blaise before dragging the Weasleys out of the dorm with her.

"Hermione today is a DA day, and if you want I can cancel the meeting." Ginny said uncertainly. Hermione rolled her eyes. Now more than ever she needed people to be able to fight against the Death Eaters.

"No, keep it as scheduled; I can sure as hell go with dueling someone right now."

"I think you should blast Malfoy off his rocker." Fred suggested.

"Or Smith. I don't like Smith." George added. Hermione slapped him playfully.

"Zacharias is the one who got me to restart the DA. I will not be blasting him anywhere in the near future. Anyways, shouldn't you two be back at the shop?" They grinned.

"The best thing about being owners of a wealthy business-"

"Is being able to hire other people to take over when you want free time."

"Verity's got it under control." Fred finished slinging an arm around her shoulders. Then a first year scampered up to them wide eyed.

"Are you Fred Weasley?" he squeaked out. Fred sent Hermione and Ginny a wink.

"Yes I am."

"And you're George Weasley! You own Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes! And you're the best pranksters Hogwarts has ever seen!" The kid exclaimed. George grinned.

"We do try don't we dear brother?"

"Why yes Forge we do, but I think that the Marauders might own that title." Hermione smiled and they left the first year that was still shaking with excitement. Hermione left them and entered potions only moments before Slughorn entered.

The endless looks of pity were becoming downright annoying. Yes she was grieving, but that didn't make her incapable of performing the daily tasks of life. Seamus had insisted he carry her books. Dean had made her plate during lunch for her. Zacharias had offered to take notes for her! It was ridiculous.

Storming to Flitwick's room she couldn't wait to show them just how capable she was. They would be ready to fight Voldemort. And they would beat the bastard.

She swung the door open, her robes billowing around her in an oddly Snape like manner. The occupants of the room were immediately silenced by her entrance.

"Why are you sitting down? Stand up and wands at the ready." She commanded. The students hesitated.

"Now! We have an hour, not all day." She snapped. They looked at each other.

"Hermione do you think that you're…. you know-" Zacharias started.

"Capable of getting on with my life? Yes, I do." Hermione told him coldly. Zacharias was silenced. She looked around at the uncertain faces.

"Oh, for pity's sake." She sighed. "You all think I'm incapable of teaching you, don't you?" No-one said anything, but the looks on their faces affirmed her statement. "So, basically, my quality as a witch as been compromised because my parents are dead."

"We don't think-", "Your emotional-", "We just-" resounded around the room. Hermione glared.

"I believe you need proof that I am still a fit leader. If after the demonstration, anyone believes that I am not able to continue with these meetings, then you can elect a new leader for these meetings." Hermione stated.

"Hermione, this is unnecessary-" Ginny said. Hermione looked pleadingly at her friend.

"Ginny, if I want them to have confidence in my abilities, this has to be done. Would anyone like to volunteer as my opponent?" No-one stood or said anything. Flitwick sat in the corner looking uncertain about what action should be taken. The door opened to the enlarged charms room. Professor Valski entered the room.

"I'm sorry to be interrupting Miss Granger, but I overheard your dilemma. I would be willing to be a dueling partner. The conditions would be as follows, it will be a battle like situation, but we will both have protection so any hexes we cast will not be harmful. When one of us has been killed, we will glow green, and the spell will slow our movements, as if we have been injured by any detrimental hexes, until the injuries have been tended." Hermione nodded. Professor Valski set up the spell and they took up positions, circling each other warily. Hermione moved her lips to form expelliarmus, but didn't really cast the charm, hoping to lure the professor into striking first. Hermione could see his wand move for protego, but one look into his eyes assured her that he had not been so easily fooled. Flicking her wand she sent a wisp of her patronus testing his protego that was quite strong. All of a sudden he sent a duro at her, that she blocked with protego. The fight had begun.

From then it was a blurry of movement, charms and hexes sent back and forth. Valski was a skilled opponent. She had a close call with a diffindo but she dodged it in time. She bid her time until he wouldn't be able to dodge the curses she sent. Her opportunity came. Thank God for the Half-Blood Prince.

_Langlock_,she thought. His tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth. She countered a couple more of his curses before sending Levicorpus his way. Then she said the spell that would end it. _Sectumsempra,_ she thought with conviction, thinking of Lucius Malfoy. Valski glowed green as he hung upside down. She muttered Liberacorpus.

She shook hands with Professor Valski whose eyes shone with respect. She didn't realize that two new recruits had come to the meeting lingering in the shadows, wondering what they could do to help the Gryffindor Golden Girl.

**So, once again we come to the point where I grovel for reviews. begs profusely Now I am off to write a particularly... steamy scene between the three main characters. wink wink**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you for all the reviews! And hopefully this chapter will assuage all of those who were waiting ever so patiently for Hermione to become more **_**involved **_**with two of our favorite Slytherins. **

**I don't own Harry Potter. My first name doesn't even start with a J. Therefore there is no humanly possible way I can be J.K. Rowling.**

What was going on with her? She couldn't stop thinking of Draco or Blaise. Or both of them. Together. Her life had become even more complicated, and it hadn't exactly been a can of peaches before.

Draco and Blaise seemed to be in a continuing relationship, however they both participated openly in…_activities _with the female population of Hogwarts. Just the other day she saw Blaise snogging Padma Patil in an alcove, and sometimes Draco wouldn't stay overnight in the Head's dorms. Hermione wasn't the type of girl to have one night stands, so she didn't understand why these _feelings_ had decided to plague her.

She had Ron. Well, they weren't officially an item, but everyone anticipated it. And even if things with Ron didn't work she was supposed to find a perfectly respectable boy to settle down with. Neither Blaise nor Draco fit the criteria. They weren't even nice to each other. True, the insults and arguments were more like banter and relatively civil, but that didn't mean they liked her. They could very well still hate her for all she knew. But still she couldn't stop thinking of the way they had looked when she had opened the door to Blaise's room, or the way they had comforted her.

It must have been the pressure. It was because Ron and Harry weren't there and her parents died. She was looking for someone to cling to. Yes, that was the most plausible explanation. She couldn't actually be _attracted_ to them. Draco was a ferret and Blaise was a git. But a small part of her said that Draco was no longer a ferret, and Blaise was one _hot_ git.

She slammed her book shut, to the obvious dismay of Madam Pince. Shoving the book on Gryffindor in her bag she stormed off to her common room. She would stop thinking about them.

"Unity" she muttered darkly, waiting impatiently for the beautiful woman to swing open. The portrait seemed to hesitate before opening. Hermione charged in heading toward her room when a moan coming from the sofa stopped her in her tracks. She turned around, and on the sofa Draco and Blaise were once again melded at the mouth before her eyes. It was one thing for them to snog in Blaise's room, but in the common room?! That was over stepping their bounds. She coughed loudly, her best imitation of Umbridge. Blaise sat up and looked at her sending her a challenging eyebrow raise while Draco just glared. She glared back.

"Well Granger, was there something you wanted?" Draco asked smirking looking haughty even in his position under Blaise. Hermione was too mad to blush.

"If you two want to shag like rabbits, please do so in Blaise's room and refrain from christening the common room." Blaise chuckled.

"It's already been christened Hermione."

Gods, she had studied on those couch and chairs, and all along they had been- the idea was repulsing yet oddly enticing. Still, there were lines, and those lines should not be crossed.

"Well, you shouldn't have! How would you like it if you walked in and found me and…. Ginny snogging on the sofa about to have a roll in the hay!" Hermione retorted. Blaise stared at her oddly for a moment, his eyes darkening dangerously. Then he smirked.

"I'd pull up a chair and watch, and then see if I could join." He replied. Hermione snapped. She grabbed a pillow off the chair and threw it at his head, before storming up to her room. There was no way she'd be able to get anymore research done that night.

The next morning she woke up early and got ready before Draco or Blaise were up. She didn't really want to deal with them at the moment. Creeping downstairs, she headed to the Great Hall, finding herself to be the first one there. A cup of coffee appeared before her and she took a big gulp and picked up on the book she should have finished the night before. Students filtered in until the hall was full, and she finished the book, once again coming up with nothing productive. She found herself talking to Neville about the properties of different dessert plants. She finished her breakfast and walked with Neville to potions. On the way she saw Draco wrapped around some nameless Hufflepuff in a corner, and felt her chest constrict slightly.

Oh, this was ridiculous! When did she start caring about what Draco Malfoy of all people did? Ignoring the irritating feeling, she walked into potions ready to get whatever Slughorn assigned out of the way.

Crumpling up the third sheet of parchment in a row, Hermione leaned back in the armchair frustrated. No matter how hard she tried she just couldn't concentrate! Looking into the fireplace she wondered where Harry and Ron might be. Had they found another horcrux? Had they fought a battle? Were they alright?

She hadn't heard from them since Fred and George came and her parents died... and that was a month ago. And she couldn't figure out why her traitorous mind seemed set on irrational feelings for Draco and Blaise! She couldn't believe that she had felt _jealous_ seeing Padma and Draco earlier in the morning. Or how she couldn't control the glances she kept sneaking at the two Slytherins. Merlin, she felt like a lovesick puppy!

The portrait door opened and Hermione tensed as Blaise entered sitting on the couch. Her solitude was over. Pulling another piece of parchment out of her bag she tried to write again, failing and throwing out yet another offensive piece of parchment. Snatching another out her bag, the parchment was taken by Blaise's elegant long fingers, and placed gently on the table.

"Tense Hermione?" Blaise asked smirking.

"No." She snapped reaching for the parchment that was then taken out of her grasp.

"Oh, so you scowl and crumple lots of paper for fun?" Hermione glared and crossed her arms.

"Shouldn't you be off with Draco somewhere?" she said, wincing once she heard how childish she sounded. Blaise chuckled.

"Not necessarily. We don't spend _all_ our time together you know." She glared at him, and looked at her blank piece of parchment that his fingers were curled around.

"I need to work on my Arithmacy essay, so please give that back to me." Blaise raised an eyebrow.

"That's not due for another two weeks, and as far as I'm concerned what you need to do is relax." Hermione scowled. She was _not_ tense. She _was _relaxed And she did _not _need his advice.

"I'm perfectly fine thank you." Blaise shrugged and handed her the parchment which she focused her attention on, slightly relieved when she noticed Blaise was leaving for his room. That is until the elegant fingers that had been previously wrapped around her parchment were kneading her back in the most enjoyable manner.

"What are you-" she started weakly until he shushed her.

"Relax," he murmured, his breath skating dangerously close to her earlobe. She wanted to protest, but her body loosened under his ministrations, and she could only find her mind wanting nothing more than for Blaise to continue doing that right _there._ She shifted forward giving him more access to her back and she felt his body weight move behind her to sit on the back of the chair. His hands moved tantalizingly lower not leaving any part of her back ignored, working out all the kinks and knots that had amounted from her rigorous study habits. He molded all of her muscles with his hands, and began to work right under her shoulder blades- oh that felt so good! He pressed harder into _that_ spot, and Hermione couldn't stop herself from throwing her head back and mewling with pleasure.

He didn't hesitate for a moment and kept giving her the best massage of her life. Leaning her head on the inside of his she gave him access to the right side of her neck, but instead of feeling those talented hands there, there was a pair of warm lips caressing her skin. She felt so warm, and then the tip of his tongue darted out to touch her skin, his teeth nipping at her muscle close behind. Pressing further back into the warm body behind her she felt something hard on her shoulder blade. Was that? It couldn't be. She couldn't let it go this far she knew better- but it felt so good when his mouth traveled upward nipping and sucking along the way.

Reluctantly she opened her hooded eyes ready to stop the madness that had overcome her, but then the mouth lifted from its delightful attentions to her neck and covered her own parted lips. The hands on her shoulders stilled as his teeth nipped lightly at her bottom lip before his tongue made its way into her mouth, stroking her own. Before she knew it she was responding avidly, arching up to meet his demands and moving her mouth against his. His fingers traced circles on her collarbone as they kissed, and eventually they both pulled apart. Hermione gasped for air as Blaise's head ducked toward her earlobe, and his body slid down behind her his arm circling around her waist. She felt his hand stroke the inside of her bare thigh- she jolted out of her daze in shock.

Blaise stopped immediately sensing the change in atmosphere, and Hermione jerked up, not even bother to grab her bag. Rushing to her room, Hermione paused once at the foot of the stairs to look back at Blaise who watched her with darkened eyes, before slamming the door shut behind her.

**Yes! jumps for joy I know you want to do it too… no shame. Well please review!!!!! Remember if you want a happy author, then review. Even if it's just to say I suck and that I should never write again (though I hope I'm not that terrible). **


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanx for the reviews! I'll be sure to keep writing. I don't own Harry Potter. And now to add Draco into the mix.**

Hermione Granger always knew what to do. She was brilliant, and Hermione Granger would find a way out of every situation. It was a fact of life.

Before Hogwarts, the kids at school didn't like her because strange things happened around her or the fact that she was intelligent. She was teased and bullied mercilessly. Sometimes adults can't understand that children can be the most ruthless of humans, as well as the most caring. But Hermione had gotten through. If the other children didn't like her then that was no worry of hers! Adults were more interesting anyways. And one problem was solved.

Then when she received her Hogwarts she was faced with the fact that she was probably _years _behind in knowledge than the children she would be joining at Hogwarts. And there was so much she could have learned! So she read all of her textbooks and the other books her parents bought her. It was another problem solved.

After that Hermione went to Hogwarts and solved countless problems, for herself as well as Harry and Ron, and many had told her that she was the brightest witch of her age. So why couldn't she figure out what to do? Why couldn't she solve the complex puzzle that was her relationship with the two Slytherins that frequented her thoughts?

She had kissed Blaise. Merlin, who was she kidding, she allowed him to practically _molest _her in the common room! And she'd liked it. And she couldn't bring herself to believe that it was simply a psychological reaction to everything that had happened to her.

Then there was Draco. She felt like she had _betrayed_ him by kissing Blaise. Not only because he and Blaise were involved but there was something else- something more _intimate_ about what she felt. She couldn't possibly have feelings for both of them, could she?

It didn't add up. And she would most definitely not allow herself to become another notch on Blaise's long list of conquests. But oh, she really wanted to kiss him again, to have that deliciously warm feeling to surround her again.

Turning around the corridor Hermione continued making her rounds. She had successfully avoided Blaise all week. Currently she was patrolling with some sixth year Hufflepuff who was patrolling the upper portions of the building. Which left her the second floor and below. Finishing up the first floor she waited for a staircase so that she could begin patrolling the dungeons.

The dungeons were dark, dank, and drafty, and overall an unpleasant place to patrol after hours. It was easy to convince oneself that the shadows were hiding some unknown threat in the Slytherin domain. Her steps echoed off the walls as she walked further into the dungeons.

She had an odd sort of feeling that someone was watching her. Turning around she saw nothing. She was being silly. She wanted to light her wand, but the portraits didn't take kindly to that, so she sped up, hoping to get her rounds done as quickly as possible. She heard a noise behind her as she passed the potions room, and whipped around. There was nothing there. She listened for a moment, but the only sound she could make out was her own labored breathing.

She started off again, making sure to peak in various alcoves and corners, finding nothing, when she heard footsteps other than her own. She was certain. Someone was following her. She stopped, and the foreign footsteps stopped as well. Looking around she could see no one. She needed light. She continued walking further down the corridor and turned into a hall she knew there were no portraits before suddenly turning and casting lumos.

Draco leaned casually against the wall smirking at her.

"Paranoid Granger?"

"No. Now, why are you out after hours Draco?" she snapped. He was the last person she wanted to have a conversation with in a dark abandoned corridor in the dungeons after hours. The irony wasn't lost on her. His expression turned serious.

"What ever happened between you and Blaise has him in a fit. You will fix it." Hermione glared at him.

"Who are you to tell what or what not to do? If Blaise is upset with me, he should come see me and not send you." Draco rolled his eyes.

"He didn't send me Granger. Believe or not I _do_ care for people. And you are making one of those people I care for upset which is unacceptable."

"You probably don't even know what happened then." Draco shrugged.

"I could care less. You probably got into some argument over head duties, and refused to talk to him or some nonsense, which has him all mad." Hermione looked at him strangely. He thought she was that petty? She laughed. Draco glared at her and she kept laughing.

"What's so funny?" Hermione calmed herself down.

"I was right. You have _no_ idea." Draco snorted.

"Then enlighten me." Hermione stood still like a deer caught in headlights. She didn't think he'd actually ask. What would he say if he knew? Would he hate her? Would he hate Blaise? Would he never speak to them again? Draco stared at her expecting an answer, but she just stood there stock still. He walked toward her, and tilted her chin up. Looking into her eyes. She knew what he was doing, but didn't stop him. He had a right to know.

She felt him rooting around in her brain and pushed the memory toward him. Draco's expression turned from surprised to one she couldn't identify. He let go of her chin, breathing heavily and she looked away immediately, ashamed of what she had done.

"I have to say, I didn't know you had it in you Granger." Draco said at last. Hermione's head snapped up as she glared at him. He shrugged.

"What you can't blame me." She rolled her eyes and leaned back against the wall.

"What am I going to do?" Draco snorted.

"Whatever you want. It's obvious what _he_ wants." Hermione closed her eyes and began banging her head against the wall, until Draco's hands gripped her shoulder and pulled her away.

"None of that. Gods Granger you're reminding me of a house elf right now. And don't you _spew_ any thing to me." She glared at him again.

"It's Society-"

"for the Protection of Elvish Welfare, I know." They stood together in silence, Draco still holding her shoulders, and Hermione still leaning against the wall.

"What am I going to do? I'm not interested in one night stands, but I like Blaise, and then there's _you _of course-" Draco looked at her strangely.

"Certainly, you understand Blaise and I have an open relationship?" Hermione blushed tomato red. She had figured out it was her romantic _feelings_ for Draco that were in the way of any sort of relationship with Blaise. She looked down. Draco continued to look at her as if she were a puzzle. Finally he tilted her chin up again and went into her brain. Hermione was too surprised to block him, even though she was a very good occlumens. He found what he was looking for, and he didn't bother to hide the surprise on his face. Hermione blushed even darker, and made a move to run away. It was too embarrassing. She got a couple of steps away before her back was slammed into a wall and her mouth was being ravaged mercilessly.

Draco's kiss was completely different from Blaise's as she had suspected. It was rough and hungry, and relentless. She kissed back with fervor, struggling all the while to be free, but Draco simply pushed his body closer to her, pinning her against the wall. When their mouths broke apart, she renewed her efforts to be free.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Draco whispered huskily into her ear. Hermione glared.

"Why not?" She asked petulantly. He pressed his body further into her, and she felt his arousal against her stomach. She gasped and stopped moving, and his mouth covered hers again. This time he slowed down, his tongue languidly stroking hers and drawing it out of her mouth and into his. His hands dropped from her shoulders, and went to her legs, wrapping them around his waist. She slid her hands up and around his neck so that she wouldn't fall if he were to step back from the wall. Somehow her robe slipped from off her shoulders, and she immediately took his off in return. They continued their heated kisses, and Draco pressed her even further into the wall, grinding against her in motions that made her want to rip off his clothes then and there. She looked into his darkened eyes that swarmed with lust and emotion. How had she ever though they were cold and unfeeling?

She felt one of his hands sliding up and down her thigh, pushing her skirt up to an indecent length. His other hand was drawing light circles on her rib cage as continued his avid attention to her mouth. She moaned as the hand on her rib cage moved upward to her breast, skating deliberately over her nipple. His mouth moved to her neck as she arched into his hand that rolled her nipple between his fingers through their clothes. She was so preoccupied she hadn't noticed how his other hand had slipped up her thigh and between them, until his fingers slipped under the waist band of her knickers, touching her more intimately than anyone had before. She felt one of his long fingers slid into her, causing her to buck and moan into him.

His finger slid easily in and out of her, slick with her arousal, and he quickly added to more fingers to the first, eliciting the most delectable reactions out of her. His mouth found hers again, and she screamed into him as his thumb flicked over her clit and he pinched her nipple at the same time, flooding her with the most intense emotions she had ever felt in her life.

Gasping, she slumped against Draco as the reality of what just happened hit her. She had just had an orgasm after hours in a deserted corridor in the dungeons by the hands of none other than Draco Malfoy, who was dating the Head Boy Blaise Zabini, who she had kissed just days before.

Holy shit, she was screwed.

Shoving Draco off her she grabbed her cloak and wand and ran away as fast as her feet could take her. She heard him call after her but ignored it willing one of the staircases to move while she was on it so he couldn't follow. Luckily, one did and she disappeared.

_Now,_ what in the bloody hell was she supposed to do?

**Poor Hermione is confused. Reviews! Reviews! Reviews! Please. **


	11. Chapter 11

**I'm sorry there has been such a long wait for the update, I've been sick and I haven't had time to write. Here's the next chapter. Thank you to all my reviewers. I don't own HP and no money flows into my pockets from writing fanfiction. Thank you for reading.**

**Without further ado….**

Hermione leaned against a wall catching her breath. Why had Draco done that? Did that mean he liked her? Did he think that she was just some-some… slag he could shag in the middle of a corridor?

She started walking toward her common room. What just happened could not happen again. She shouldn't have let it happen in the first place. What had possessed her to kiss him? Was she finally going absolutely bonkers? Didn't she _hate_ Draco just months before?

Alright, it had never been hate that she felt for Draco, but still, she had almost _shagged_ him. In the middle of a corridor.

Blaise. Blaise probably already hated her for avoiding him all week. What would he say if he found out? She knew Draco would tell him. It would ruin everything. She… liked Blaise. A lot.

Man, she was screwed.

"Unity," she muttered darkly, slipping into the portrait hole and closing the portrait quietly so she wouldn't wake Blaise up. She turned around and froze. Blaise was sitting on the couch, reading a book. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest, and she crept on her tiptoes toward her rooms. She was halfway there-

"I saw you when you came in Hermione." A lilting voice said from the couch. She sighed and turned around.

"You know, I understand if you don't want to be romantically involved with me, but I had thought that we had become friends." He continued flipping a page of his book absently.

"Blaise I-"

"Except friends don't avoid each other for a week. Hermione, you should have just talked to me." He said looking at her, his intense cerulean eyes burning into her skin.

"Blaise, I didn't mean to avoid you. I-We are friends." She stumbled out. Blaise sighed.

"I didn't mean to ruin our friendship this way. You're obviously uncomfortable with me now aren't you?" Hermione shifted uncomfortably.

"No. It's just that I'm not sure of my feelings right now." A different light entered Blaise's eye and he stood slowly walking toward her, predatory in his stance. She backed up close to the portrait whole again.

"How can you be unsure of your feelings? Are you attracted to me physically Hermione?" Hermione nodded, backing up again as he took a step forward. "What about mentally?" She nodded again. "Then there's nothing in the way is there? I'm attracted to you; mind and body, and you're attracted to me." His voice lowered dangerously as he stepped toward her again. Hermione took another step back feeling caged. Blaise's hand snaked out and grabbed her own, before pressing her fingers to his warm skin on his neck, where his pulse was hammering powerfully.

"Do you feel what you do to me cara? Why are you afraid?" The portrait door whirled open behind her, and she felt an arm snake around her waist and a face burry itself in the crook of her neck.

"I'm sorry Hermione, I didn't mean to make it seem as if-" Draco's voice rambled out before he noticed her rigid stance. Her hand was still entwined in Blaise's. Draco lifted his head and looked at Blaise guiltily, and Blaise looked between her and Draco before muttering "Oh." Hermione looked pleadingly into his eyes and they all stood there awkwardly for a moment before Hermione ran to her room, locking her door with a dozen charms before sinking into her bed.

Blaise had looked betrayed, just like she knew he would. She had practically _slept _with his boyfriend. She heard raised voices downstairs, and pressed her ears to the door. What she would give for a pair of extendable ears. She did hear a couple of things.

"How long Draco?" and "How could you?" and "You scared her!" and "You knew!" all filled her ears. She couldn't let them fight over her. They liked each other a lot, maybe even loved each other. She couldn't be the one to ruin that.

She gathered up her Gryffindor courage and opened her door just in time. Draco and Blaise were yelling at each other their wands gripped tightly in their hands. She ran down the stairs.

"Stop it this instant! Both of you are acting like children!" Draco snorted.

"Says the girl who runs away." Hermione blushed hotly and ignored his comment.

"I'd be a fool not to see you two care about each other deeply. You shouldn't let anyone get in the way of that. Even if I like you, we have to ignore it. It wouldn't work with either of you regardless." Blaise raised an eyebrow.

"Pray tell, why wouldn't it work between us?"

"First, there's you and Draco. Then there's the fact that I'm the best friend of Harry Potter. I may be here right now, but you can be damn certain that when the final battle comes around I'll be there by Harry's side. Blaise, you couldn't stand me being there." Blaise snorted.

"Who's to say I wouldn't be there by your side?" Draco practically growled at him.

"Zabini you are not getting involved." Blaise snorted.

"You can not tell me what I can or cannot do Draco."

"I bloody can and bloody will." Draco returned.

"Stop!" Hermione yelled. They shut up. "You see, it only leads to more arguments. Its best if both of you just stop pursuing me." Draco raised an eyebrow.

"I don't see how. To me the best option is to shag you. Then after that things can go back to normal." Hermione glared at him and stomped back up to her room. They could tear each other apart and she wouldn't care. She dressed in her pajamas and climbed into bed.

_Meanwhile downstairs._

"Merlin you really botched it up now Draco." Blaise sighed sitting on the couch. Draco stared at him with a blank look on his face. "You don't get it do you?" Draco looked confused. "You insinuated that you wanted her for nothing but a good shag." Draco's eyes widened wide with realization. He groaned and sat next to his long time lover.

"_Merlin_ what am I going to do?" He said closing his eyes and leaning his head back in defeat. They stayed like that until a predatory grin spread across Draco's aristocratic features. Blaise looked at his lover warily. That look never meant something particularly good, and usually involved something devious.

"I believe I have an idea Blaise."

**Mwuahahaha cliff hanger. REVIEW SO THAT I CAN END YOUR AGONY AND CONTINUE THE STORY. I believe there is a disease that author's suffer from called lackofreviewscitis. I have not yet fallen ill to this, but to ascertain that I do not drop dead and that the story continues, you must review. THANX!!!!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Sorry for the long update, but it was difficult to bring out the transition I wanted….. I hope you enjoy this chapter! I love you my reviewers and you guys are truly the ones who keep me going with my stories!!!! Thank you soooooo much. Keep reviewing. If you haven't reviewed start. I don't own Harry Potter, and here is the next part of our tale….**

Hermione's hand shook with excitement. She read the page over again, scared that the words might disappear. They confirmed her theory. She knew how to destroy the horcruxes.

Now the only problem was implementing her ideas. Clutching the book to her chest she ran to Madam Pince to check the book out. She checked her watch, and practically skipped out of the library and down the hall. Looking around to make sure no one saw, she snuck into the Room of Requirement. She went quickly to the place the horcruxes were hidden and opened the blue bag as she had so many times before. She felt the sickening feeling of disgust and dread that the horcruxes emanated as she poured the contents out of the bag and looked at the items. Could the answer have been so simple all the time?

They needed basilisk venom. And then they would have to figure out what 'acts of love' would qualify for destroying them. It really was all quite simple. She couldn't believe she hadn't riddled it out before. Harry had destroyed Voldemort's diary with a basilisk tooth and had done it to save Ginny's life, selflessly fighting the basilisk at the risk of death. It all made sense. Basilisk venom because it was the very beast that represented all that Voldemort is. The only thing that matched him. And love… the one thing he feared.

It was perfect. Now all she needed to do was get her hands on some basilisk venom. And get in touch with Harry and Ron.

That was going to be difficult.

She placed the horcruxes back in the bag, careful not to make skin contact, and headed out of the room. She hesitated. Could she maybe? It just might work… she walked past the tapestry of the troll ballerinas three times thinking of basilisk venom. She caught her breath opening the door… and the room was the same. Nothing was different. No basilisk venom.

She knew the room had restrictions, after all it hadn't provided her with a book on horcruxes, and she hadn't really expected to get results… but it was still disappointing. Sighing resignedly she exited the room and made her way back to the library. She had to research basilisk venom, and she had to figure out where to get some. And then she'd destroy the horcruxes.

She wouldn't let Harry and Ron down. She couldn't.

Hermione slammed the book shut frustrated, to the dismay of Madam Pince. Before the hooked nose librarian could confront her however, she had stormed out of the library. Three days it had been since she had made the break through. Three days she had information that could change the war and couldn't do anything with it. She tried to contact Harry and Ron. She sent out her patronus. She had talked the Order. She had performed tracking spells… and she couldn't find them, and they hadn't contacted her. She was sure something was wrong. Plus she couldn't get any basilisk venom. Knockturn Alley seemed like the only place that she might find some in England… but it was highly unlikely she would be able to do so secretly. It was like she had come to a dead end.

Not only that, but her emotions were in turmoil. Every night she had the same dream. It was of her Blaise and Draco. And every morning she woke up hot, sweaty, _bothered._ What confused her further was that this _infatuation _with the two continued despite their respectful acceptance of her wishes. They backed off. And yet, it seemed as if every touch, every moment they spent in the same room, every time they talked to each other was oddly… sexual. She couldn't escape from it.

She entered the Great Hall and sat next to Ginny aggravated, shoveling food onto her plate with malice. Ginny ignored her small show of temper and continued talking to Neville who was sending concerned glances her way. Luna was staring into space as usual, her Ravenclaw robes out of place at the Gryffindor table. Lavender and Parvati were off in their own world gossiping as usual.

Hermione quickly finished her food, and left the Great Hall, heading toward Flitwick's room to ready it for the DA. She might as well do something constructive with her frustration. She made quick work of creating the space she needed, and transfiguring mats and dummies for practice.

People soon began to trickle in, and she waited until Flitwick entered, signaling that she could begin the meeting.

"I hope all of you have had nice weeks. First I think we should practice the leg-locker curse from last week. Partner up and practice." Everyone partnered up and she was able to walk around looking at everyone's progress. Neville flushed with pride as Hermione praised him for casting the charm perfectly three times in a row. She had to correct a couple of wand movements, and pronounciations here and there but generally everyone was performing the curse relatively quickly. She heard the door open, and she turned around to see who was coming into the room.

Blaise entered and smiled at her, catching her gaze, causing her to blush profusely. She recovered quickly however, and strode over to him.

"What do you need Blaise?" She asked fidgeting with her hands and hoping that Blaise didn't notice her nervousness. He quirked an eyebrow.

"I don't particularly _need_ anything as of now, though you are aware of what I _want._ I came for the club." He said smugly.

"B-b-but you don't need practice in defense!" Blaise raised his eyebrow and leaned in toward her, his breath tickling her ear.

"Whether Draco likes it or not, I will eventually be forced to do something in this war. I would like to make sure that when I enter, I'm fully prepared cara." Hermione blushed again at his term of endearment and his closeness. It was even better when he was pressed up against her, his mouth on hers…

Those thoughts needed to stop. She looked up at Blaise embarrassed. He had already stepped back from her and was looking at her questioningly. It had simply been a tactic to keep other people from listening. She was making a big deal out of nothing.

"Oh, well, are you familiar with the leg locking curse?" He smirked at her superiorly, and her legs snapped together of their own accord, causing her to fall to the ground. She quickly muttered the counter curse and stood.

"Show- off," she muttered dusting off her clothes. Blaise grinned.

"You wouldn't like me any other way." She snorted.

"Sonorus," she mumbled. "Now everyone, do any of you know Aguamenti?" And so the DA meeting went on. And of course since Blaise made the group have an odd number, she was forced to be his partner.

Awkward didn't even begin to cover how she felt about it.

Nor did it adequately describe the silence between them as they walked toward their dorms. They were alone in the corridor, and every time she looked at those inky black locks she wanted to twine her hands in his hair and snog him senseless.

She was a hypocrite. And she wasn't afraid to admit it.

Even though she had been the one to keep their relationship completely platonic, she couldn't deny that when she saw him she wanted to do things she wouldn't normally do- things she couldn't even describe.

But, she didn't want to be another conquest, she didn't want to drag him into the war, and she didn't want to be the one to cause a rift between him and Draco.

Speaking of the devil, Blaise had already opened the portrait door and sitting on the couch was a shirtless Draco Malfoy looking as regal as ever, his pale pointed features glowing in the firelight.

God the things she wanted to do to him. She shook her head, silently hoping the thoughts would fly out of her brain. She froze. She had two choices. Stay in the room where sexual tensions ran dangerously high, or run to her room.

Her room looked pretty comfortable right now.

She felt a warm hand grasp her arm and pull her back into Blaise's hard body.

"Do you like what you see cara? Why don't you step closer?" Blaise's mellow voice whispered in her ear.

He pushed her toward the couch, and she saw that Draco's eyes were shut closed in ecstasy. And she added as an afterthought, he was stark raving naked on her common room couch.

**I know another cliffy. I couldn't help myself. You have all right to internet strangle me. But do so IN A REVIEW!!!!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hello everyone, I'd like to say thanx for the amazing reviews, and that I have survived the couple of internet strangles I was bound to receive…. Well, here's the chapter. REVIEW**

**I don't own HP. I wish I did though. Then I'd be rich….**

"Wh-wha-"

"Shhhhh Cara. Do you like watching Draco pleasure himself?" He whispered huskily into her ear. Hermione tried to step back, but Blaise's body seemed melded to hers and kept her in place. She wanted to look away. But she couldn't.

Draco's head was laid on the back of the couch his bare neck curved up as he made noises of satisfaction. His chest gleamed slightly with perspiration as his hand stroked up and down his length. She had never seen a guy naked. Well, in pictures, but not in real life. It was different from what she had thought. She remembered thinking that _it_ looked weird. But looking at Draco's body splayed out in the firelight stroking his rather large member, it was nothing short of beautiful.

Every movement was graceful, the way his muscles tensed and relaxed as his hand followed an enticing trail, and his body was just as delicious as she had imagined. A hand began tracing circles around her waist reminding her of Blaise's ever disconcerting presence behind her.

"Do you think he's beautiful?" Blaise's voice whispered huskily at the curve of her ear. She should leave. She knew she should leave but then she whimpered as Blaise's tongue darted out over the shell of her ear, and then his lips moved down to massage her neck, echoing the movements of his hand. His other hand snaked around and pressed flat against her stomach, holding her into him. Draco became more vocal, stroking himself faster, and Blaise's hand sped up in time with Draco's as it moved up to cup her breast, and lavish attention to it. She struggled to hold back the moans that would alert Draco to their intrusion, even though the rational part of her mind said that he probably already knew they were there.

Draco began thrusting into his hand, and Blaise's attentions to her body became more erratic as he switched between nipping, licking and sucking on her neck, and he kneaded her nipple, sometimes pinching, or oh- flicking. She didn't know when he had removed her outer robes, but she suddenly became aware of the fact as his other hand was at the hem of her skirt and was skating against her inner thigh.

And then he touched her _there._ She moaned loudly, and Draco's head snapped toward her as he thrust upward and yelled "Fuck Granger!" spilling his seed on the couch. Oh Merlin. Blaise's fingers had slipped into her and he touched her at that spot, and his hand oh Merlin… she moaned out in ecstasy and came, Blaise's hands continuing their ministrations through her orgasm. Her body trembled and he held her up.

She opened her eyes as she felt something warm and hard pressed against her front. Or more accurately someone. She blushed furiously and made a move to leave, but she was firmly held in place by Blaise, whose mouth had found her neck again. Draco tilted her head up and he chuckled at her naïve expression, which caused her to blush even more. He smirked.

"Enjoy the show Granger?" he asked seductively. She wanted to smack the smirk off his face. Ok, so she'd rather snog the smirk off his face, but either way she wanted it gone. She opened her mouth to shoot an insult to knock his ego down a peg, but instead a moan came out as Blaise's fingers slipped beneath her knickers again. Draco chuckled.

"I'll take that as yes." He said before covering her mouth with his own. The sensations where overwhelming, and she was tipped over the edge quite quickly screaming out. Once again Blaise held her as she recovered.

"We've never shared before Granger. Consider yourself lucky to be the first." Draco whispered huskily in her ear. And that snapped Hermione out of her trance. She slapped him across the face with all the force she could muster before shoving both of them off her and storming up to her room with out a backward glance. How dare he! If anything he should consider himself lucky she even let him touch her.

She was not some common whore to be used and then thrown aside. But man she sure did feel like one. She had been ready to let them take her virginity. Two men at the same time in her head girl common room nonetheless! She had acted despicably. She didn't know what had gotten into her. For a moment she had thought they actually cared for her… like in her dreams. As if they would live happily ever after….

Stop.

Since when had she started picturing a future with the two bastard Slytherins? Her happily ever after was set. She would marry Ron, become a Weasley and live happily in love after Voldemort was vanquished. Since when had that picture changed?

Oh, Ron. What had she done? She tried thinking of his smiling face, crisp blue eyes and freckles, but when she conjured up the picture of her friend, something was missing. She no longer felt that blissful excitement the thought of him used to bring up. Of, course she felt love and a connection to her friend, but she certainly no longer wanted to snog him.

Oh Merlin. What was she going to tell Ron?

She had betrayed him. She had let Blaise and Draco touch her in ways that no one had ever touched her before. For Merlin's sake, Viktor Krum had given her the first and only kiss she had ever received before now. She felt like a slut. Not only that, Draco had made it completely clear that he wanted no long term connections to her. She would be lucky for being the first he said. Lucky indeed. He could find someone else to be lucky in that case.

**Sooooo Draco has a way with words doesn't he? No cliffy this time. So you must review!!!! Or I'll make a cliffy next time…**


	14. Chapter 14

**I'm soooooo sorry for the long wait. I've been having computer issues. It also made me unable to answer most of your reviews. I'm VERY sorry about that. Please keep reviewing though. The next chapter will come soon, I promise... well you've waited long enough!**

**I dont own HP.**

She couldn't stop thinking about that day. She'd been avoiding Draco and Blaise everywhere but in her dreams. It was hard… she sent Blaise strictly professional letters via an owl, and not caving into the emotional letters he sent her in return was hard, but the reminder that all his flowery words were insincere were enough to keep her away from him. She had been staying in Ginny's dorm. Ginny roughly knew what happened, though she had no idea about Draco's involvement. Hermione had spilled about Blaise leaving out that particular detail.

The hardest time to ignore them was during Defense Against the Dark Arts. Blaise's eyes were almost always fixated on her head, and Draco's notes pestered her non-stop. Brushing away one of the offensive cranes, she kept her concentration on what Valski was saying. He was talking about venoms, and just maybe he would let something slip about the location of some basilisk venom.

Her task had kept her going. She searched high and low for rituals that could constitute as an act of love and a way to get her hands on basilisk venom. However, she still hadn't heard anything from Harry and Ron, and that worried her. A satisfied gleam entered her eye when Valski began discussing basilisk venom. She wrote down his words meticulously, making sure that not one word was wrong or out of place.

He did not say anything about where to get basilisk venom, but he let it slip that he had collected it before. He knew how to get basilisk venom and Hermione would find out. Once the lesson was finished she stayed behind, resisting the urge to gag when she noticed that Lavender and Parvati were also there and shamelessly flirting with the professor who seemed to be looking for a way out of the uncomfortable situation. She silently hoped she would not be put on Lavender and Parvati's level as she approached the frazzled teacher who was admirably fending off Parvati and Lavender's advances.

"Excuse me, Professor Valski? I have a couple of questions regarding basilisk venom." He looked at her seemingly grateful for a reason to dismiss Lavender and Parvati.

"What do you wish to know Miss Granger?" He said after gently prompting Lavender and Parvati out of the classroom.

"I was wondering if there needed to be any conditions for basilisk venom to be collected."

Professor Valski raised an eyebrow.

"And why, may I ask are you so interested in basilisk venom Miss Granger?"

"I was petrified by a basilisk in second year. I was wondering if the basilisk venom could still be collected even though it has been dead for five years." He smiled.

"Basilisk venom must be collected within a year of the death of a basilisk, however the basilisk you refer to has already been made use of. I helped with the collection of its venom." Hermione nodded. She had been contemplating going down to the chamber and seeing if the basilisk was still there… it would have been a quick solution. She knew that asking Valski much more would be suspicious, but she had a hunch that he knew more about such things than he was letting on. But before she would pry Valski, she thought it much smarter to see what she could wring out of dear old Slughorn.

Checking over her calculations once more she rolled up her arithmacy homework and put it into her bag. Using her pass to the Restricted Section she looked for the book she needed, carefully sliding it off the shelf and not disturbing any of the other texts. Opening it she quickly read and jotted down the information she would need in her confrontation with Slughorn. Placing the book back on the shelf she left the restricted section and headed toward the dungeons. Entering the potions classroom, she composed herself and knocked on the door to Slughorn's office.

"Enter." Hermione opened the door and Slughorn looked up from his papers, his fat rosy cheeks lifting with delight.

"Hermione! Good to see you my girl! I'm afraid we missed your present at our last little meeting." Hermione forced a sweet smile to her face.

"I'm dreadfully sorry, that evening I was scheduled for patrol, and had to get my work completed earlier than usual. I did regret not being able to attend." She lied. In truth she hadn't wanted to come into such close contact with Blaise. She was having a hard enough time avoiding him as it was. Slughorn beamed at her response though.

"It's quite all right. May I ask what brings you to my office?"

"I came to inquire about some of the properties of basilisk venom in potions." Slughorn's face darkened.

"Basilisk venom is a very unstable ingredient in potions. As you must already know it is a very dangerous poison. Why do you have an interest in it?"

"I was researching some of its properties and I realized that in conjunction with monkshood it might have a paralyzing effect. I was wondering if refined enough it could be used to paralyze nerve ends and then with a variety of other ingredients be used to heal those affected but the Cruciatus curse." Hermione said pulling out the parchment she had been putting calculations and ideas on for the past few weeks. Just maybe Slughorn coul get her some basilisk venom…. And some of it would be used of course for the potion, but then some to destroy the horcruxes as well. It would benefit them in the short term and the long.

Slughorn looked over her parchment, his face lighting up with glee as he took in the benefits of helping her develop such a potion.

"I think your ideas are enchanting Miss Granger. How did you come to such conclusions?"

"We were discussing venoms in Defense, sir, and Professor Valski mentioned that a victim would go numb before death, so I did more research." Slughorn looked at her appraisingly with his beady eyes.

"I suggest you talk with Professor Valski more on this idea. He has had much experience with this particular beast. Feel free to come to me for any help with your admirable endeavor." Hermione nodded. So, her hunch was correct.

She exited Slughorn's office satisfied.

The next day she approached Professor Valski with her idea. He responded that she would have to narrow her list down to ingredients and a theoretical process before he could show it to anyone, but that her ideas were tangible, if not applicable in reality, and that she should do more research.

It was her night to patrol, so she changed into more comfortable clothes before meeting Hannah Abbot at the entrance of the Great Hall. She made sure that she was patrolling the upper half of the castle, she would not chance any sort of meeting with the two Slytherins she had been attempting to erase from her mind the past few weeks.

Walking down the hallways contentedly, she wondered when she would be able to tell Harry and Ron her news. Hermione turned another corner and froze.

"Why have you been avoiding us?" Blaise asked walking toward her. She stood her ground and hardened her expression.

"I do not want to be in a relationship with either of you, and seeing as you do not respect my wishes, I have no choice." Blaise chuckled.

"If it really was your wish, we'd leave you alone." Hermione glared.

"Blaise, I am not interested in any sort of relationship with you and Draco. I have other things to deal with and I am not the casual type of girl. I would appreciate it if you left me alone." Responded sternly before walking away.

She wouldn't let them distract her from what was important, and she wouldn't let them toy with her emotions.

Hermione Granger was a force to be reckoned with.

**Did you like it? I promise there will be more action between the three of them but Hermione is very peeved with them at the momment. REVIEW!!!!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hello readers, thank you for all the wonderful reviews! Here we have the next chapter, and I hope I have updated soon enough for your liking. Well, keep reading, and here we go!**

**Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own the Harry Potter world and enterprise and I am not a billionaire. I don't own Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling holds that honor and I respect it. **

She woke up late the next morning. Luckily it was a Saturday and she did not have classes, but still she hurried to get ready and rushed down to the Great Hall. Sitting in her normal seat next to Ginny she looked at the array of food on the table when something dropped onto her plate. Two red roses lay in front of her entwined around a white one.

There was no note, but Hermione knew where they came from, and the symbolism was obvious. The bastards. If they thought she would come crawling to them begging for them to sleep with her because they sent her some flowers, they were sadly mistaken.

Ginny looked at her knowingly while Hermione lied to Parvati and Lavender about knowing who they were from. It would be quite the scandal if they found out. She spent the rest of the day researching and working on her theories for the potion. The sooner she could make this potion, the sooner she could legally get her hands on basilisk venom. Of course, if any faster method of acquiring was found, legal or not, she'd jump at the opportunity.

She promised Ginny that she would spend time with her on Sunday and headed down with the redhead to the Great Hall the next morning. She sat down and once again the roses dropped onto her plate, except this time there was a pair of the arrangement. Hermione moved them aside and brushed off questions about the roses, once again lying about her knowledge of the origins. The rest of the day she spent forgetting her problems and simply hanging out with Ginny. She had forgotten how fun it was to just relax.

The next morning it happened again. She sat for breakfast and three batches of the strange floral arrangement appeared. She stubbornly refused to allow herself to acknowledge Draco or Blaise. She continued her classes normally, ignored them during the DA meeting that night, which they had taken to coming to, and did more work on her potion.

The trend continued, everyday one more triplet of roses dropped onto her plate than the day before. She put them in vases around Ginny's room, and she could tell her newroommates were getting annoyed with them. Not to mention her "mysterious" suitor was now the speculation of the entire school. Everyone had decided it was the prime gossip.

She was quickly running out of space to put the flowers. And Ginny had been pushing for her to forgive "Blaise" and convince her that he obviously hadn't intended to make her out as a whore. By her count it was the eleventh day. Almost a full two weeks. She went to breakfast and of course the flowers appeared, a large pile in front of her, and the Great Hall erupted in whispers again. If only she could make them disappear…wait! She was a witch. She _could _make them disappear. She pulled out her wand and muttered Evanesco.

At first it seemed as if the spell had worked, but then on her plate chocolates appeared in the formation of a heart with the words "forgive me" spelled out. And what was worse was that Lavender and Parvati saw. And therefore they knew that she had some idea of who the "secret admirer" was. "Evanesco." She said once again with more conviction. And it seemed that it had disappeared.

The day continued relatively normally save for the constant stares and whispers that followed her everywhere. She dragged herself away from her research during her free period to go eat lunch in the Great Hall. Conversation immediately stopped and Hermione rolled her eyes and started toward the Gryffindor table when Ginny intercepted her and began dragging her out of the Great Hall.

"Ginny where are we going?" Ginny just hushed her and dragged her toward the Quidditch Pitch. Why in the world would she take her there? It was a widely accepted fact that Hermione Granger wasn't a fan of flying.

"Ginny what ever this is I don't think it's a good idea-" she got out before a glance at the Quidditch Pitch silenced her. More than a hundred boxes of chocolate were laid out on the ground of the Quidditch Pitch, each with two red roses entwined around a white one on top of it.

"I can't believe…" Hermione trailed out dazed. Ginny looked at her and smirked.

"I have to admit, Zabini's got style." Hermione blinked and nodded. "By the way, if you look at it from above it says something." Ginny commented.

"What does it say?" She asked perplexed. Ginny grinned.

"Get on a broom and see." Hermione shuddered at the thought. No way in hell was that going to happen. She glared at Ginny, who rolled her eyes in response.

"Fine. You can't blame me for trying. It says the same thing as it did at breakfast, but added on is 'I was an arse.'" Hermione sighed.

"Ginny, what do you think I should do?" Ginny raised an eyebrow. So maybe it wasn't just a Slytherin thing.

"Hermione, it's really not for me to say. I just think that he seems to be making it a point that he really likes you and maybe it wasn't just for sex." Hermione sighed again.

She had already made her choice.

**Soooooooooooooooooo….. what do you think? Will she forgive them, or will she not? REVIEW!!! Thanx. **


	16. Chapter 16

Taking a deep breath she muttered Unity and held her head up stepping into the Heads Common Room for the first time in weeks

**I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE FOR THE WAIT. My computer is currently being fixed, and I regret to say was unable to read your reviews… I am currently using my brother's computer so please forgive me for long updates… I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanx!!**

**JKR owns Harry Potter.**

Taking a deep breath she muttered Unity and held her head up stepping into the Heads Common Room for the first time in weeks. Blaise and Draco's heads both shot up from the sound of the portrait opening. They both opened their mouths to talk but she raised her hand to shush them.

"Listen. I'm going to come back to my dormitory, however I have some rules. Either you don't pursue me at all, or you do so properly. That means dates and such. You can consider yourselves forgiven, and now it's your choice to make. I'd just like to make it clear that should you choose to pursue me; I do not wish to be in an open relationship. I'm going to go to sleep now. Goodnight." She headed up stairs and smiled satisfied with respective places in what she had come to think of as her room.

She had been convinced that once the roses had stopped coming that the gossip about her "secret admirer" would disappear. But she was wrong. In reality it simply led people to the conclusion that she was dating the mysterious sender. And therefore, any male she spent time with could be that admirer. So one day it is obvious that it's Neville, regardless of the fact that he seems to have his eyes on Luna Lovegood. And another day, the way she was talking to Terry Boot obviously indicated that they were secretly dating. Or there was her absolute favorite. Colin Creevey likes taking pictures of her a little too much don't you agree? I wonder what other times he takes pictures of her. She could puke from such a suggestion.

The funny thing was that hardly anyone suspected either Draco or Blaise. There were a couple or murmurs about hidden passion, and opposites… but not many seemed to imagine her ever going with a Slytherin. And she quite liked it that way.

Still one thing was really troubling her. Where were Harry and Ron? She was making progress with her potion. She needed to talk to Harry and Ron. She was getting anxious. Sitting at her table in the library she reviewed her notes on the properties of all the ingredients she had amounted. Then she began the long process of determining how each ingredient would act with another individually and what the products properties would be. She had been doing it for almost an hour before she felt something vibrate in her pocket. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her DA coin. In the middle engraved was the exact time. Her eyes widened. Quickly throwing her bag on her shoulder and shoving her parchment into her bag she rushed out of the library and to the Room of Requirement.

They were there. Even more ragged than the last time she had seen them. She grabbed them both in a hug. When she finally let them go she noticed. Ron had angry red welts covering his right arm. Harry had a scar running down the left side of his face.

"What…" she whispered.

"Nagini." Harry said simply. Hermione nodded.

"Then Nagini is gone?"

They nodded. They handed her another bag. The quill. They needed one more horcrux.

"I know how to destroy the horcruxes." Harry's face split into a grin and he lifted her up into a tight hug. Hermione gave him a weak smile when he put her down.

"I need Basilisk venom to do it." She said quietly. Harry frowned.

"Can you get it from the one in the chamber?" She nodded her head no.

"The venom has already been taken from it and the basilisk has been disposed of. I asked the Dark Arts teacher. I have a way to legally obtain it, but it will take a while." Harry looked thoughtful for a bit, a far-away look in his eyes. He sighed.

"I guess I should pay a visit to Borgin and Burkes. We'll get the venom for you." She smiled.

"How long do you have?" Harry and Ron shared a glance.

"An hour or two." Ron shrugged.

"Then why don't you tell me about how you found the quill." Three comfy chairs appeared in the room. They sat down.

"We started out going to everywhere of significance to Voldemort, and ended up in Albania…"

So much. They had been through so much. Harry and Ron would bear the scars of the war for the rest of their lives. But she was coming out of it untouched. The meeting had been a bit of a reality check. Harry and Ron were pleased with her progress with the DA, and thrilled with her findings with both the potion and how to destroy the horcruxes. But she knew there was one aspect of her part that she had completely ignored. She hadn't found anything out about who had Deatheater inclinations or any information that would help the Order strategically.

She didn't know how it would be possible, because inside the school she was well known as the Gryffindor Golden Girl Bookworm who was firmly on Harry Potter's side. Still, she wasn't putting in the amount of effort she should have been. Maybe…. No. She couldn't use them like that. But maybe a spy network was in order… she'd have to find people with strong enough connections to the dark, but still trustworthy. The first person she chose would be essential. Who did she know that was pureblood and completely trustworthy? A Slytherin was out of the question. And it obviously needed to be someone who could believably join their network however. Someone with a known superior attitude… and it hit her. She would ask him tomorrow. He was perfect for the job. She would penetrate Voldemort's ring within the school. It was time for her to start fighting the battle.

**I SOLEMNLY SWEAR I WILL READ ALL REVIEWS FOR THIS CHAPTER…. SOOOO PLEASE REVIEW!! Thanx for the reviews thus far!! **


	17. Chapter 17

"You want me to what

**Quick update huh? Thanx for the reviews, and here is yet another chapter…. The last two chapters have been more plot based, which I apologize about, but insist is necessary. I promise the next chapter will have at least limes, if not lemons… ;) **

**I don't own HP**

"You want me to what?!" She grabbed him into an aisle of books and shushed him, before peeking out around the bookcase to see if anyone had heard. None of the students in the library had noticed so she was safe.

"I want you to infiltrate the circle of Voldemort supporters at school." She whispered. He looked at her incredulously.

"You can't be serious." Hermione winced. Maybe this wasn't the best idea.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked… I'll do it myself." She sighed before turning to go.

"Are you bloody mad Granger?! There's no way in bloody hell _you _could pass as a spy. For goodness sakes are you trying to get yourself killed?" She rolled her eyes.

"That was the point of asking someone else who would have a better chance. But if you don't want to do it, I'll handle it myself." He looked shocked.

"Granger you realize you could be killed for a stunt like that, right?" She sniffed.

"I am perfectly aware. I already made the decision that my life was worth sacrificing for Voldemort's downfall. If I hadn't I wouldn't continue to be Harry's friend." His nose wrinkled with distaste.

"You're still hanging with Potter?" Hermione narrowed her eyes.

"Of course I'm still friends with Harry. And like I said, I'm ready to die if I bring Voldemort down with me." His face looked contemplative for a minute.

"I'll… I'll do it. But this doesn't mean I like Potter." Hermione nodded.

"I don't expect that. You'll be helping more than you know." He nodded and walked away. She had her first spy.

Grabbing her stuff she headed to her Common Room. It was empty and she made herself comfortable on the couch, starting her homework.

She woke up in her bed, though she distinctly remembered falling asleep on the couch. Draco or Blaise must have carried her. She got out of bed and wandered to the bathroom, glad when she didn't encounter Blaise. She wasn't sure she could deal with _those_ emotions right now. She really needed to focus, for everyone.

She quickly got ready and headed downstairs. Once again, Draco and Blaise were no where in sight. This was suspicious. She didn't like it one bit. She quickly headed down to the Great Hall and sat in her usual spot at the Gryffindor table. She couldn't help glancing at the Slytherin table. Draco and Blaise were both oddly absent. It didn't seem right. Something was wrong. Se could tell.

Panic rose in her chest as she quickly excused herself from the Gryffindor table and headed to the library. She looked around, but neither of them were there, only a few Ravenclaw fifth years. She hurried up to her dorms and grabbed the map Harry had lent her at the start of the year.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." She muttered at the seemingly blank parchment. She hurriedly scanned the map and found exactly what she had expected. The dots for Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy were both located in the Hospital Wing.

She steadied her breathing before quickly exiting the Head Dorms and striding off toward the Hospital Wing. Blaise or Draco? Who would it be?

She didn't want either of them to be hurt. She opened the door to the hospital wing and prepared herself for the worst. She wasn't prepared for what she saw.

Bloodied and battered on the hospital bed was Blaise, while Madam Pomfrey moved around him in a flurried frenzy. Draco stood rigid by the bedside, pale and stricken as he looked at his lover's broken appearance. What had happened?

She couldn't bring herself to move forward, so she just stood there and watched stunned as Madam Pomfrey did her work. It seemed like hours that she stood there, seeing almost all of Blaise's injuries, and feeling more helpless as each one was revealed. What had happened?

Soon Madam Pomfrey patted Draco on the shoulder and headed into her office. There was nothing more she could do. Hermione hesitantly walked over to stand at Draco's side. His attention was fixed on Blaise's face. She lifted a hand to his shoulder. His head snapped toward her stunned.

"Granger?" he said, his voice clearly indicating his surprise. She ignored the implied question.

"How is he?" Draco quickly schooled his features into a mask.

"He's got some substantial injuries, but he'll survive." Hermione knew that whatever had caused this, it wasn't an accident. This was intentional.

"What happened?" she murmured quietly, reaching out and touching Blaise's limp hand. Draco sighed.

"I was a fool to have tried to keep him neutral. Voldemort supporters got to him for his refusal to get his family funds involved with their cause." Hermione felt the tears brush the corners of her eyes.

"Then he's officially involved now isn't he?" Draco nodded, looking away from her as if his face would share some secret he did not wish to divulge.

**Ok….. bum bum bum… soooo like? REVIEW!! :D**


	18. Chapter 18

She went to see him as often as possible

**Here is the long awaited chapter 18. Enjoy!! :D I don't own HP.**

She went to see him as often as possible. Draco didn't leave his side in the two days he was unconscious. Hermione hadn't been there when Blaise awoke for the first time, in fact she didn't arrive until a couple of hours later, after dinner. Of course, with her perfect timing she managed to walk into his corner of the Hospital Wing just as Draco and Blaise were locked in a heated snog. She blushed a deep shade of red as they noticed her and pulled apart. Blaise smirked.

"Like what you see, love?" Hermione blushed even harder. Why couldn't she avoid resembling a tomato?

"I didn't mean to interrupt." She said awkwardly. Blaise arched an eyebrow.

"You didn't. Now are you going to sit or not?" She smiled shyly and sat in the chair provided next to Draco, relieved that Blaise seemed to be ok. They made small talk, chatting about classes and what Blaise missed. But it didn't seem as if Draco or Blaise were willing to bring up the topic that was on the forefront of her mind. Blaise was officially involved, and now he had a choice. She bit her lip nervously. This was a chance to expand her spy network- but was that too much to ask? Did she really want Blaise spying for her? She didn't know what to do.

"What are you thinking about Hermione?" Blaise asked, startling her out of her thoughts.

"Nothing." She replied hastily. His eyes narrowed in disbelief.

"You're lying." She bit her lip. It was now or never.

"You can't remain neutral anymore." Draco stared at her like she had grown another head, but Blaise nodded calmly, as if he had been expecting it all along. He quickly cast a silencing charm on the air around them so they wouldn't be heard.

"Potter. I'm not going to follow Voldemort. You know that."

"Then we'll talk to the Order and get you protection." Draco told him. Hermione looked away. Maybe she shouldn't…

"Say what's on your mind Hermione." She took a deep breath and looked down, avoiding eye contact with Draco and Blaise.

"We need more spies." She could almost feel Draco's irritation.

"Me and Snape, and you need more spies?" Hermione nodded guiltily.

"We need someone less in the open, less conspicuous… someone more behind the scenes who the enemy has no preconceptions of due to family, and no hindrances. Snape, though very high in Voldemort's circle will always be looked down on because he is a half-blood and he doesn't have the time to figure out the support base for Voldemort; who directly supports him and how, and who sympathizes. We need that information. You are too much of a figure head for the younger generation, and you are surely watched, but Blaise is not only pureblood and has the stature, but he has no English ties or hindrances associated with his family, and it would not seem odd if he were to join the Death Eaters, after all he is your friend. I would also have easy access to him through our head duties, and he would not be questioned, and he can openly associate with you if he does this. I don't want it any more than you Draco- but its logical and I have to present Blaise with the option. Blaise, it's ultimately your choice." Blaise nodded.

"I'll do it."

"Blaise! You'll be in danger-" Blaise snorted.

"I'm in more danger if I openly oppose Voldemort Draco. If he thinks I'm loyal, I'll be in _less _danger."

"But-" Draco continued.

"No. It's my decision." Draco's face immediately lost the soft quality it had moments before and hardened into a cold sneer.

"Of course it's your decision _Zabini_, after all you are the only one impacted by it." He sneered before striding arrogantly out of the hospital wing. Hermione looked away from Blaise. She couldn't look him in the eye.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"Don't be. It needed to be talked about sooner or later. Draco will come to understand. So, when shall we plan this date business you were on about?"

Hermione slammed her book shut and threw her head back on the couch cushion in frustration. Not only was Draco refusing to talk with her, but her research for her potion was at complete stand still because eye of newt just wouldn't work and she couldn't figure out what would! She rolled her head from side to side, slightly sickened when she heard a crack. She felt so tense, and she didn't know how to solve either problem.

And this of course had her in a seemingly permanent bad mood. The moment Blaise had been released, him and Draco had taken to shagging like rabbits in Blaise's room without silencing charms. Blaise acted relatively normal around her, but Draco just gave her the cold shoulder. He would barely even look at her, and when he had to talk to her, it was if they had transported back to third year and he talked down to her in that haughty stuck prick manner. Sometimes she felt like smacking him, but she knew that wouldn't improve relations with him.

But she didn't know what would work. She couldn't take back what she had offered Blaise, and she couldn't make him not do it, because frankly she couldn't afford to. She wouldn't let Harry fail for her own personal comfort and relationship with Draco Malfoy. Even though she wasn't out with Harry and Ron risking her life at the moment, she was willing to sacrifice herself for Harry's good, even if that meant her social life.

She heard a particularly loud moan from Blaise's room. Were they trying to antagonize her on purpose? And to think she had agreed to a date with Blaise the coming Friday. She didn't know what had been going through her mind… oh yes, that Blaise's abs looked particularly delicious that was what she was thinking. She reminded herself not to ever make a decision while Blaise's shirt was off. That could be a major distraction

It was no use. She would just have to go upstairs and turn in for the night. There was nothing else she could get done.

Blaise grabbed her waist and pulled her into a broom closet. She could feel someone's hard body behind her as well and she turned around to see Draco smirking at her. She gaped at him blankly.

"What Granger, cat got your tongue?"

"I thought- you- but-" she spluttered dumbly.

"Shhh cara. I decided you two needed to make up, and what better way than this? Draco has given up his grudge. Relax." She blinked in confusion, but all of her questions fled her mind as Blaise attacked her mouth with his, and Draco's soft lips latched themselves onto her neck.

Blaise's kiss was gentle, languid, and skillful, evoking the most luscious tingle in the pit of her stomach. Draco's strong hands gripped her waist; while Blaise's long fingers drew circles up and down her sides. Whereas Blaise kept his movements slow and controlled, Draco nipped and sucked almost violently up and down her neck, making sure to leave marks that couldn't be mistaken for anything other than love bites.

She was getting more and more worked up, pressing herself closer into Blaise, and trying to kiss with more fervor, but he resisted flawlessly, keeping to his long languid swipes of the tongue. They broke apart for air, and Hermione decided it was time for her to take the initiative. Turning around in their grip, Hermione shoved Draco up against the wall of the cupboard, careful not to disturb its contents and snogged him passionately, nipping at his bottom lip and battling his tongue with hers. Draco groaned into her mouth and she could feel his hardness on her stomach. Oddly, empowered by his reaction she pressed her body further into his and tried moving her hips, which had his moan reverberating inside of her mouth.

Blaise's lips began to blaze a torturous path down the other side of her neck, leaving his own marks. His hands traced their way up her body to the curve of her breast, continuing their circles. Oh that felt so good. She leaned further back into his chest, to grant him more access, but his hands stayed at the curve, unyielding to her obvious want. She let out a whine that was even unrecognizable to her own ears.

"Why the whine cara?" Blaise asked gutturally, his hot breath following the gentle curve of her ear, and burning across her skin. Hermione whimpered.

"You know." She panted.

Draco lips had placed themselves at the hollow of her neck. She wanted…_ more _and she knew both of them understood that but were purposefully teasing her. Blaise chuckled.

"Say it, or it won't happen." Hermione growled, and grabbed his hands, placing them over her nipples, and moaned with satisfaction as his fingers flicked both of them purposefully and then began to roll the hard buds around. "That'll do for now, but you'll have to learn to ask for what you want." Blaise whispered hoarsely. She moaned in response. Draco had removed her tie and was starting on the buttons of her shirt, gulping up the image of her being pleased by Blaise's hands as each in of creamy smooth flesh was revealed to his hungry eyes.

When he got to the buttons that kept her breasts barred from his view Blaise stopped his ministrations and she opened her eyes looking at Draco lustfully as he stopped unbuttoning with his hands, and his teeth grabbed the fabric, and he used his tongue to pop the button out of the hole. He used this method to unbutton the rest of the shirt, but it seemed that Blaise had become the impatient one as he shoved her bra off of her breasts and continued his avid attentions. Once Draco had unbuttoned the shirt completely she immediately discarded it and her lacy green bra that she was now thankful she wore rather than one of her plain white ones. She felt so hot, and she felt the wetness seeping between her thighs as Draco's hands stroked their way up her legs until his fingers were so close… She bucked at his hand as his fingers dusted lightly over her sex through her knickers.

His index finger hooked around the edge of her wet knickers, and he pulled them off in one slick motion before beginning his exploration of her sex. Unbuckled her skirt and sunk down onto his knees, using his fingers to begin stroking her slit back and forth but never giving her the penetrating friction she wanted. Then his finger slipped easy inside her, sliding back and forth in her wet tight hole. He quickly added another finger and then another until three of his fingers were thrusting roughly in and out, hitting her In all the right places. It felt so good. Blaise rolling her nipples around in slow motions as Draco's hand pumped in and out… she arched up and screamed in ecstasy as Draco's thumb flicked out across her clit. Then his fingers slipped completely out of her, and she whined until the flat of his tongue took a lazy lick up her slit, flick when it reached her clit. He began sucking at her like there was no tomorrow. She fisted her hand into his fine blond hair and bucked up into his mouth, eager for him to take more of her.

His fingers found their way back to her wet opening, though she couldn't figure out when. All she knew was in the next moment three of his fingers were fisting in and out of her, fucking her fast and hard as his mouth sucked and licked at her nub. Then his mouth retreated and he used his tongue to flick her clit back and forth rapidly, and Blaise mimicked the motion with hands on her nipples, bringing her into a clenching orgasm; literally.

Draco kept going, prolonging her orgasm and then lapped at her juices before standing and grabbing Blaise over her shoulder, sharing the fluid with his lover. Hermione found herself getting worked up all over again watching the two men kiss, and then she noticed they were both still clothed. She quickly made it her mission to remedy that and turned around, the two still locked in a deep kiss. She quickly unbuckled Blaise's pants and pulled them down, along with his boxers, revealing his proud protruding very _hard _member. Blaise stepped out of the offending articles of clothing, and Hermione examined his penis. It was much different from what she had expected.

She had always supposed it looked somewhat like a banana, never seeing one before, but it was actually _quite_ different.

Blaise and Draco had ended their kiss and Draco was unbuttoning Blaise's shirt while Blaise watched her curiously. Once Blaise's shirt was gone, she pushed her way in between them and kneeled looking closely at Blaise's cock. Now both of them were looking at her with hooded eyes.

She had heard girls talking about this before, so she lent her head in and tried licking up it. It was quite long and didn't taste all that bad, so she opened her mouth and took it in, reveling in the noises Blaise was making. She moved experimentally once, when the control was taken from her and Draco was controlling her head moving it back and forth on Blaise's cock. Wetness started to pool between her legs once again. Then Draco was kneeling behind her, whispering the most vulgar things in her ear as he pushed her back and fourth, and Blaise thrust in time. It was… hot.

Then Draco led her off of Blaise's cock, kissing her soundly and tasting Blaise's pre-cum on her lips. Hermione immediately helped Draco get undressed, kissing every part of his body she could. Draco stood, pulling her up with him and pushed her into the wall. Then looked at Blaise and nodded, switching positions. Blaise lifted her legs and positioned himself at her opening, and thrust into her in one long, hard, stroke…

Hermione woke up in a cold sweat. And damn, they were even in her dreams.

**I can't stress this enough… REVIEW! Aren't you happy with the long chappie and the smut? REVIEW ABOUT IT THEN!!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey guys, well, thank you all for being such wonderful reviewers!! There is something I would like to clear up that a couple of people have asked about (I'm sorry I forgot to put a footnote about it before).**

**Cara beloved in Italian. In this story Blaise is half Italian. That's why he calls Hermione cara, it's a term of endearment. If any of you still have an issue with this, please review for this chapter and tell me. Thanx.**

**I still don't own HP, even though I have been trying ever so hard to take over the Harry Potter universe….**

The lack of sleep was starting to get to her. Every night she was plagued by those dreams, the feel of their lips, the taste of their skin, how it would feel… and it was beginning to show. The dark circles beneath her eyes refused to disappear, and she was increasingly on edge as each dream was ripped from her body as she approached completion, sending her to the pinnacle of sexual frustration. Her progress with the potion slowed, and her inability to concentrate seemed to be the leading cause of all her problems.

Draco wouldn't talk to her, and her date with Blaise had gone dreadfully. She had snapped at him for some simple reason or another, and Blaise had gotten very upset. If she was being truthful to herself, she would admit that he had every right, but she wasn't about to give up her pride and apologize. Even if he had gone through a terrible bit of trouble to set up a romantic dinner for two on the rooftop. It was actually very romantic. But she had been itching for a fight…

"So how has your week been?" Blaise asked her pleasantly. Hermione shivered as the breeze touched her skin.

"It's been… tiring." She answered carefully. Her week had been absolute hell, but that wasn't exactly something you said on a date.

"I see. And what made your week so tiring?"

"A lot of work. And I haven't been getting much sleep." She replied nonchalantly, picking at her food. Blaise looked at her curiously before reaching out to lift her chin and gazing at her with concern.

"You need to make sure you sleep more, and eat regularly. I've seen you skipping meals Hermione, and I don't care what you're doing for the war, you need to take care of yourself." How dare he! Winning the war was the most important thing to her, and he should understand that.

"It's not as if you have been particularly helpful!" She snapped back. It was after all partly his fault that she wasn't getting much sleep, but then again she didn't want him to know _exactly _what the nature of her insomnia is.

"What do you mean?" he asked softly.

"One can hardly get much sleep when constantly hearing the extent of your… activities with Draco all the time." She said quickly averting her gaze. His face hardened.

"We'll be sure to be more _discreet_ then." He said coldly. And they continued eating in silence for the remainder of the dinner.

Later that night, she could hear Blaise's activities with Draco quite clearly.

He hadn't stopped talking to her like Draco had, but for the past three days he had only spoken to her in regards to her head duties. At least her spy network was going well. She was very pleased with the progress that was being made in that area. But her life had seemed to take a turn for the worst, and she felt an impossible weight that she just didn't know how to get rid of.

If only Ginny were in her year, maybe she would have more success, but with the loss of Draco and Blaise's company, her lack of friends became very clear to her. DA didn't even help much because even then she was separate from the rest of the members as the instructor. She felt… lonely. And she had no idea how to remedy it.

She was walking toward the library, jotting down notes in her notebook. She needed to replace toadskin with something else… she just couldn't figure out what! She was so lost in thought, she hadn't even noticed the person turning the corner at the same time as she was and walked straight into them, all of her books and supplies flaying out of her overstuffed bag.

She quickly began to gather her belongs and put them back in place, attempting to make it as orderly as possible.

"I'm terribly sorry Miss Granger." Professor Valski apologized pushing his square spectacles back onto the bridge of his nose.

"It's all right. I should have been paying attention. It was my fault." Hermione replied giving up on organization and shoving a couple of her parchments into her bag. The professor picked up her notebook. Glancing over it before he handed it to her.

"You know you might try toad saliva instead of toadskin. It's more malleable, and reacts more easily." He commented. Hermione's brain churned with the possibilities. That was it! The exact solution to her problem. She smiled brightly for the first time in a number of days.

"That's brilliant! Thank you." She exclaimed. Professor Valski shrugged and picked up her quill, the only thing left of her things that had fallen.

"Sometimes it's better to have another angle on something." He said smiling. Hermione bit her lip. That was too true. Maybe if she had another angle on all of these things she would make more progress. But who could she ask? Draco and Blaise were obviously out of the question, and Harry had broken up with Ginny to keep her out of it, and Hermione was sure he wouldn't appreciate her overriding his judgment… She looked at her Professor and an idea hit her.

He seemed trustworthy enough. And McGonagall had told her before the start of school that the new Defense teacher was a member of the Order. Plus he had already assisted her with the potion and had knowledge of it. The least she could do was ask.

"Professor Valski, I would like to get all the research I need for this potion done as soon as possible, in order for us to be better prepared when the war comes. Between head duties, my school work and other… _obligations _I have I find myself hard pressed for time. Would you be willing to help me in my research?" She asked hesitantly. She didn't want to step beyond student teacher boundaries, especially since he was already wary of most of the older year girls' attentions.

"I wouldn't mind at all. Actually, I find it very admirable for you to go after such a feat before you even graduate Hogwarts." If only he knew her real motivation. She nodded and thanked him before hurrying off to the library to finish her homework.

Her loneliness started to abate some, and she found herself spending more and more time with Zacharias Smith and Professor Valski, which helped loads. She had fallen into a bit of a pattern. During meals she'd spend time with Ginny, right after classes she's spend about an hour researching with Professor Valski, and then the rest of her free time she would spend with Zacharias, or reading when he was _otherwise _engaged.

. Christmas was fast approaching, and she and Blaise had planned for a fair like event just before the holidays for the winter event. They had even arranged for the Weird Sisters to do a concert at the event. It still hurt, the impersonal way Blaise was regarding her, but she was getting along better than she had been before. Sighing she headed to Professor Flitwick's room for another DA meeting.

**This chapter was more plot and character oriented… sorry for the lack of Hermione, Draco, Blaise interaction, but I promise you this is temporary. REVIEW!!**


	20. Chapter 20

So far it was a complete success

**Here is your next chapter…. I still don't own Harry Potter to my dismay…. R and R!!**

So far it was a complete success. Everyone seemed to be having a splendid time…. Accept her. Ginny tried her best to cheer her up, but Hermione felt distinctly out of place among her and her sixth year friends. It was incredibly… awkward. Walked with them, smiling at a joke every once in a while, watching while they played games, and commenting very few minutes, though it was quite obvious that she did not want to be there, and though Ginny tried to assimilate her into the conversation, it was also obvious she had absolutely nothing in common with these girls save their anatomy.

The loud blaring music coming from the stage the weird sisters were performing on should have elicited excitement and energy in here as it usually did, but only left her with the dull promise of a migrane in her skull. This was not turning out to be her best day. She looked around for any group of people to escape and talk to, other than Ginny's friends. Hermione loved Ginny to death but Merlin, could her friends be any _more _annoying? It seemed like the only information they had in their brains were which boys were single, and what was in the latest issue of Witch weekly. Hermione enjoyed girl talk just as much as any other girl, but really, all of the time? Her brain was filled with more than air thank you very much, and required a daily amount of stimulation, which at the moment was not being met.

Neville and Luna were close by, but she really did want to impose on them, even in her state of desperation. She'd feel like a third wheel anyway. She looked around and saw Dean and Seamus in line for one of the more adventuresome roller coasters that was set up, and though she was sure they wouldn't mind her joining them, she didn't really feel up for riding "Terror of Doom" at the moment.

She spotted Lavender and Parvati, and sighed before excusing herself from Ginny and heading over toward her former roommates. Even Lavender and Parvati were a step up from Ginny's group of friends.

She was stopped however by a voice calling out her name. She turned and Zach was motioning for her to come over. He was standing with Hannah, Ernie, and Susan, all wonderful people, but also all people she wasn't very familiar with. You would think that after having classes with these people she would have learned more about them, but then again, Harry and Ron had kept her all too busy.

She raised an eyebrow but hesitantly went over, and settled into a surprisingly easy going conversation. Relaxing she talked with the Hufflepuffs, having a better time than she'd had in a while. She enjoyed the games, and went on a couple of rides, finding everyone in the group very enjoyable companions. She'd even had a very deep discussion on charms with Ernie Macmillan of all people! It was… titillating.

She was dizzy as she came off The Spinner, very precisely named, and she tripped falling into a pair of strong arms.

"What d'ya think I've found Gred?" A very familiar voice spoke over her head. Her face split into a grin as she looked up into the face of George Weasley.

"I think you found a Granger, that's what that is." Was his twins response. Hermione Stood up, quickly getting over her previous dizziness and threw her arms around the twins, who grinned at each other over her head.

"You all don't mind if we borrow Hermione for a little catching up, now do you?" Fred asked with a wink at the Hufflepuffs. They smiled and told her they'd catch up with her later, and for the first time that year she felt that maybe she _belonged _at Hogwarts. Even without Harry and Ron.

She let go of the twins, and followed as they dragged her off toward the Ferris wheel. She sat in between the twins on the ride her head leaning on Fred's shoulder, and George's arm wrapped around her waist, listening as they told her about Harry and Ron's progress, and what's been going on with the Order.

They got off the ride and George promptly started dragging her off toward a booth.

"Well, on the lighter note, Smith 'Mione?" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"A friend."

"Really?" Fred replied wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. She rolled her eyes and looked questioningly at George as he paid for a game and prepared to knock down the pyramid of cans set up. George succeeded in the first try, and acquired an overly large stuffed bear, giving it to her. She spent more time with the twins until they left and rejoined Zach and the others afterward, and didn't turn in until quite late that night.

She stretched languidly, cheerfully climbing out of bed and slipping into the bathroom to start her day. Once she had slipped into a warm red sweater and some sweat pants she headed down the stairs for the first day of her break.

Blaise was sitting on the armchair, curled up in the most endearing position as he read. Hermione smiled softly watching him for a moment before reminding herself that she had lost the opportunity and she knew Blaise no longer felt that way about her. She went into the little kitchen resigning herself to the silence he would give her.

"You had a good time yesterday." Blaise's deep voice stated from across the room. Hermione yelped falling back onto the tile floor in surprise. Scrambling up she looked at Blaise with wide eyes as he turned another page, seemingly indifferent.

"W-what was that?" she stammered uncertainly.

"You had a good time yesterday." He repeated a little more loudly and slowly, his body unmoving. Hermione blinked. Why was he asking her this?

"Um. Yea." Blaise froze for a moment, looking at the book unblinkingly before quickly turning his expression into a bored one. What was going on with him?

"Oh. Well, you could have told us, we would have backed off." He said monotone. Hermione's face scrunched up in confusion.

"What are you on about?"

"You and the Weasley twins."

"What about them?"

"Well, you're with them aren't you?" He asked looking up at her for the first time in confusion. Hermione laughed. Blaise looked indignant.

"Listen you don-"

"I never have, nor never will be 'with' the Weasley twins." He cocked his head oddly, his brow knit into a puzzled frown until his face went blank and an angry frown appeared.

"Smith." He growled. What was he on about now? "You shouldn't trust him Hermione. Do you know what kind of people he's in league with?"

What right did he have to tell her who she should or shouldn't trust? None!! Hadn't he made it clear that he didn't like her?

"Who I hang out with is not your concern."

"Damn it Hermione! I'm just trying to help _you. _Don't you understand that?"

"I don't need your help! I know Zacharias is trustworthy."

"Hermione, how do you know? He's hanging out with the wrong people!" Hermione glared at him.

"I know because he's there _because I told him to be!_"

"Really, from what I've been hearing, he's trying to use his connection to you to get higher up in the Junior Death Eater Ladder!" She snorted.

"How _else _do you expect him to justify his connection to me? That just means he's doing his job _well._" Blaise stood up, his face flushed with anger.

"How do you _know? _For all you know, he could be deceiving you and really be a spy for them!"

"I'm an accomplished Legimens Blaise! Do you really have so little faith in me to think that I wouldn't take those precautions with my spy network? I trust you Zacharias, and Draco completely!"

"I- you trust me?" He stammered his cerulean eyes widening and looking vulnerable. Her anger deflated. It suddenly hit her lick a ton of bricks. He was jealous.

"Yes Blaise and I'm sorry for the way I treated you on our date… I was having a hard time. And just so you know, Zacharias and I are only just friends." She said quietly before heading to her room. She cried. She cried for what she had lost before it could have begun.

**So… finally making some progress…. Full speed ahead (into the lemons)!! Review please. I was looking at my stats… and there are almost 400 reviews!! This shows how ultimately awesome all of my reviewers are!! KEEP BEING AWESOME!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Warning: This chapter gets pretty sappy, but I really like it, so I hope you do to. I love you reviewers, and readers. I love all of you. :D You are wonderful. Well, enjoy the chapter. I don't own HP, and never have.**

She didn't come out of her room the rest of the day, preferring to read in the quiet warmth that solitude offered her. She re-read a couple of her favorite books, namely her worn copy of _Hogwarts a History, _and _A Winter's Tale. _ Once she was sure that neither Blaise nor Draco were anywhere in the Heads suite, she slipped into the bathroom for a warm and relaxing bath, and after that, curled up in her bed for a deep sleep.

Hermione Granger was not one to sleep in. She always prided herself on being up crisp and early, ready to combat the days coming events. So when she woke up the next day at two o'clock in the afternoon, she was astonished with herself. Wiping the sleep away from her still slightly puffy eyes, she crawled out of the bed and into the bathroom to get washed up, and then drowsily headed down stairs.

Sleep completely disappeared from her as the clashing red, gold, green, and silver seemed to jump out at her from all sides. In the hours that she had been hiding in her room, everything had been redecorated for Christmas. God, how could she have forgotten? Today _was _Christmas. She had already sent her presents out weeks ago of course, to avoid any last minute problems. But how could she have forgotten it was _Christmas?_

She didn't feel the normal anticipation or excitement that usually accompanied her with Christmas; it didn't feel at all like any special sort of day. Sighing she went over to the gaudy tree looking at the brightly colored wrapped gifts beneath it. There were a good few there, and she thought that Draco and Blaise had probably opened theirs already. She wondered if they had liked the gifts she had gotten them. Sitting down, she pulled the first box out.

Mrs. Weasley had sent her the customary Weasley sweater, Harry had sent her a new edition of _Hogwarts a History, _Ron had gotten her a decorated parchment set, Ginny had gotten her a very fashionable outfit, Fred had given her a new cloak that she wasn't so sure wasn't ridden with some prank or another, and George gave her a pair of earrings. Zacharias had gotten her a couple of new quills that were lavishly decorated, Luna had given her some quirky flackerbis detector, Neville had gotten her a book on plant life, from Tonks and Remus she received a very pretty necklace, Hagrid had given her a book on thestrals, and from Profesor Valski she received a book on basilisks. She had even received a gift from Lavender and Parvati, which of course was a wizarding make-up kit.

There were three more gifts under the tree, and she wondered who else could have gotten her gifts. Pulling out the closest one to her, it had no name of the giver indicated on it, and she opened it to find a very beautiful journal with her name imprinted on the front in gold. She opened it and a note fell out.

_Hermione,_

_This journal has a series of intricate charms placed upon it to protect any secrets or thoughts you might wish to divulge to it. Hopefully, this will help you to better organize your thoughts and feelings, and relieve from the weight of the many burdens you carry. _

_With care,_

_ BZ_

She set the leather book down, and pulled out the next package. It was very oddly shaped and awkwardly wrapped, no indication of the sender just like the previous one. Opening it, a large oddly shaped glass jar with a substance she recognized immediately was revealed. Her eyes widened. Basilisk venom. Clutching it to her chest she smiled and looked around for any sort of note. A small corner of parchment was lying on the ground.

_Now you have what you need._

_ DM_

It must have cost a fortune! And god only knows where he found it, or how he knew she needed it. She hadn't expected Blaise or Draco to get her any sort of gift, let alone two very expensive, and _very _thoughtful ones.

There was one last present, which was a very large box wrapped in red paper. It was from Professor McGonagall. She peeled off the red paper anxiously, and a small chest was revealed, beautifully engraved with lions. On top of the chest there was a note.

_Miss Granger,_

_I contacted your aunt and uncle in regards to this gift, and combined efforts with them in order to produce this for you. Now you have more left of them, and I hope you enjoy this gift._

_Sincerely,_

_Headmistress Minerva McGonagall_

Hesitantly she picked up the chest, and settled on the couch with it, contemplatively looking at the lid. Working up her bravery she opened the lid and looked into the chest. The first thing she pulled out was an envelope addressed to her.

Opening it she pulled out the letter, written on muggle lined paper. It was in her mother's handwriting.

_Our dearest Hermione,_

_If you are reading this letter then what we had feared might happen has come to pass. Oh yes, we knew all about the war Hermione dear, and we had anticipated that this day might come. We don't want you to grieve over us to harshly my dear, and we both hope that you realize none of this was your fault, and that we are still there with you. As hard as it might be to believe. Remember, we thought that magic was a fairytale to, now didn't we?_

_Don't give up hope. We encourage you to stick by your friends Harry and Ron, and continue to be the brilliant and beautiful girl you have been all of your life. Dumbledore came to us before he died, and we want to say just in case we never get the chance, congratulations on getting head girl! We do not blame you for wanting o keep us in the dark Hermione, we both understand that you were dong what was necessary in order to keep us safe. We are proud of you Hermione. Everything you've done, and everything you will do in the future we will be proud of. _

_We love you Hermione, and I hope that you will enjoy every moment of your life. We both want what is best for you, even in death, and we will behind you every step if the way. All we ask is you continue to be everything we've raised and taught you to be, because we couldn't be any happier with the young woman it has given us. _

_We love you._

_ With all of our love,_

_ Mum and Dad_

_ Ps. xoxoxoxoxo_

Tears were falling down her face, making streaking trails across her cheeks. Careful not to get any of the liquid on the precious letter, she carefully folded it and placed it back into the envelope, and then wiped her tears. Looking in the chest she pulled out a large leather bound book and opened it, her tears returning in full forces, as she flipped through the still muggle pictures of her parents. Her and her parents at various family functions, her parents throughout each of their lives, and all those wonderful memories.

She wouldn't make anymore memories with them.

There were a couple other items in the chest. Her mother's journal from when she was younger, and her father's old watch, and his medals from primary and secondary school. There was a small square muggle telly shrunk to fit in the chest, and she returned it to its normal size, reading the small note on how to use it, and casting the simple charm.

She let out a choked sob as the image of her eighth birthday party appeared on the screen and she watched that day unfold before her. Right after was one of the family Christmases, and she sobbed, choking on her tears and knowing that she would never celebrate another Birthday, Christmas, or any other Holiday with her parents ever again. She watched as the different videos played, and then repeated, unable to take her eyes off the screen or to stop the wave of emotions that overcame her, covering her in wet tears.

She didn't hear the portrait door open, or hear him approach behind her as she sobbed raucously, her eyes riveted on the happy images as she clutched the leather picture book to her chest. She sunk willingly into his pale arms and sobbed all over his crisp oxford shirt as he rocked her and murmured soft words of comfort.

When her throat was sore with exertion, and her eyes dry, she quickly turned the telly off and re-shrunk it, pulling away from Draco. She looked back at him, staring into his hooded eyes, and threw her arms around him, holding him tightly. He seemed unsure of how to respond, but eventually wrapped his arms around her and hugged her in return, rubbing comforting circles on her back.

"Thank you, for everything." She croaked softly in his ear. He shrugged as she pulled away, and looked at her intensely before smirking.

"Granger, you look a right mess." She laughed.

"I missed you." She replied leaning her head against his shoulder. His expression changed, his eyes clouding as his body registered her presence in his lap.

"I missed you too." He murmured before kissing her softly, but soundly.

Hermione sighed. Her parents were right. She shouldn't have given up hope.

**So?? I'm sure you guys all know EXACTLY what's going to happen in the next chapter. If you know what I mean. Let's just say the rating will be given its due. REVIEW. :D**


	22. Chapter 22

Hermione woke up there, snuggled up next to Draco

**I know I promised lemons next, but I posted two chapters at the same time, so that the plot wouldn't suffer because I wanted the sex scene to just come already, so keep in mind that chapter 23 was actually written first and intended to be twenty two, but then I realized it was way too long with this bit in too, so I separated them. Please forgive me. I don't own Harry Potter R and R.**

Hermione woke up there, snuggled up next to Draco. It felt so good to be next to him again, and he looked so beautiful when he slept. If there was anyone Hermione Granger could've mistaken for an angel, it was Draco Malfoy. His fine blonde hair covered his head like a halo, gleaming in the light of the fire. His pale blond eyelashes rested against smooth alabaster skin; that glowed with an unearthly tinge. It was almost sinful for a man to be that beautiful. Not to mention when he was looking at her with those beautiful grey eyes… Merlin she could just melt.

He woke up, blinking the sleep out of his eyes, and then he looked down at her and smirked, giving her a peck on the mouth, before getting up and heading into the small kitchen. She watched him as he made breakfast and set something that actually looked… edible in front of her.

"You can _cook?_" She asked incredulously.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Snape taught me. I couldn't exactly call a house elf while I was running from You-Know-Who."

Hermione nodded and ate the eggs and toast that actually turned out to be really good. "Thank you," she said smiling. He nodded and took their plates back into the kitchen once he had finished his.

Blaise appeared from the door to his room stretching, and froze, glancing between her and Draco, and then shifted awkwardly.

"Thank you Blaise, for your present. It was very thoughtful of you," Hermione whispered. And then it was as if everything had returned to normal. They all talked about their Christmas gifts, and Draco and Blaise both thanked her repeatedly for the Slytherin embroidered socks that she had gotten them. It wasn't long before they dragged her out of the castle by the lake, careful that they weren't seen by anyone but the portraits.

They sat together, Blaise and Draco having a pebble skipping competition, and Hermione thinking, as always. Where would they go from here?

After a while of sitting and chatting, they ended up lying side by side and looking up at the clouds.

"Hermione?" Blaise asked.

"Yes?"

"Will you be our girlfriend?"

Her heart sped up in her chest. "With proper dates and such?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes," Draco and Blaise said simultaneously.

"Then yes, I would love to be your girlfriend."

"That means sharing everything with us Hermione. Your problems are our problems," Blaise stated.

"Even the horcruxes," Draco added.

Hermione froze. "How do you know about those?"

"Hermione, do you really think Snape had no idea? It was one of the reasons he turned against Voldemort. Didn't my gift hint that I knew?" Draco asked. She hadn't thought about that.

"Hermione, do you still want to be our girlfriend?" Blaise asked, almost timidly.

Hermione blinked. Did she still want that? The answer was clear. She wasn't going to allow logic to screw this up again. "Yes. I do."

And she was filled with a sense of contentment.

**And next she shall be filled with something else…… ;) ;) **


	23. Chapter 23

**Here it is… the long awaited chapter….. ok sooo**

**WARNING: this chapter has lemons (aka sex). So if you aren't supposed to read about sex, or can't handle it then don't read this chapter. This is why the story is M. Now, thank you soooo much to all my reviewers who I absolutely adore. I got my computer fixed :D, but my email has been so crowded with your wonderful reviews that I can't really reply to them all unless I sit here for an entire day, and I'm sure you'd prefer an update, right? **

**I've read all of them however, and from his chapter onward, I will be reply back to your reviews…. So keep reviewing!!**

**So since I'm not JK Rowling, and I can't polyjuice myself into Jo, I don't own Harry Potter. But one day when I get my hands on an invisibility cloak, maybe I can steal the rights… or just take over the world.**

The Christmas Hols soon ended and they had been on three very successful dates that had ended up in very heated situations, though they hadn't gone all the way yet, preferring that to come later. Hermione had let them in on her research for the potion, and search for an act of love that would be strong enough to destroy the horcruxes. They didn't want to waste any of the precious basilisk venom, and just in case they needed more, they continued with the potion as well.

It felt so much better, to not have everything on her shoulders, to have people she could share this with, to have people she lo- wait.

Had she almost thought- She couldn't really- Could she? Did she lo-love them? Actually love them? She hadn't known them like this for that long, and certainly there was a very high level of attraction between them, but did she love them?

The way Blaise rubbed his temples when every he was frustrated, or the way Draco couldn't keep his hands out of his hair, or the way Blaise concentrated completely on everything he did, or the way Draco looked when he was angering her, or the way their hands felt when they were touching, and how beautiful both of their eyes looked filled with passion…

Oh Merlin.

She was in love- no lust- no love. She was in love. Could she say that? Could she say she was in love? She tried it once to see how it felt.

"I'm in l-" she tried tripping over the L. She wouldn't say she was in love. She looked back at her Arithmacy homework and continued the equation, when Draco and Blaise stumbled into the common room smiling; real smiles, not smirks. They were so beautiful. Their laughter was contagious.

They sat down next to her, slinging their arms around her and grinning. She looked between the two of them. "Gods, I love you both." Oh no. She _could _say she was in love. And she did.

Blaise and Draco looked at each other, and for a moment, none of them said anything. Then Blaise chuckled. "I love you too Hermione."

Draco grabbed her and kissed her deeply. "I think that tells you everything I feel."

Blaise raised his eyebrows, "What, lust?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "No, love you idiot."

Hermione felt like she was floating on top of the world. She loved them. They loved her. They were an unbreakable force… wait! An act of love. She loved them. They loved her. How could she…. Her eyebrows shot up. That could do it. That could be powerful enough. Three, blood, love… all powerful things. Combined with the basilisk venom… they could destroy the horcruxes. They could destroy Voldemort.

She knew how to save Harry.

.

She felt the tiniest bit of guilt, sneaking around the castle after curfew. But this would save the Wizarding World. She had to for everyone's sake. In this case, the means justified the end. She was disillusioned, but still she got into the Room of Requirement as quickly as she possibly could.

They were already there, both gorgeous bathed in the candle light emitted from the floating candles filling the room. They were on the bed, locked in a kiss that was the most gorgeous thing she had ever witnessed. Languidly she removed the charm and let the cloak drop to the floor.

Draco and Blaise pulled apart panting, still touching each other. They both turned to look at her simultaneously as if they had sensed her there. It was as if she could feel their hands on her as they looked at her.

She walked toward them, apprehensive, but lustful- no not just lust. This was love. It was more powerful than her just _wanting _them. It was as if the very air around them pulsed with emotion. There was no need for words.

She climbed onto the large bed, reveling in the way the green sating felt against her palm, and how it would feel against her skin when it finally happened… when they finally _happened. _She was more aroused than she had ever felt before, even more than in those first few encounters, and those recently stolen moments with Draco and Blaise.

Now, it was just so much more. Blaise pressed his lips to hers, caressing them with his tongue until she opened her mouth, and her tongue stroked his in an impossible dance of pleasure.

She felt Draco move behind her, his hands sliding sensually over her waist to reach the buttons of her crisp oxford shirt. He kissed her neck as she continued her deep kiss with Blaise. As every button slipped out of its hole, Draco emphasized it with a nip on her neck.

Everything felt so good. Soon Draco had unbuttoned her shirt completely, and she broke away from Blaise so that she could shrug the shirt off, revealing her lacy light blue bra that she had worn knowing exactly what was going to occur later that night.

Blaise ran a soft finger over the lace fringe before focusing on her face with his intense cerulean gaze. She blushed.

"Are you wearing a matching set of knickers?" She blushed even harder and nodded, and he attacked her mouth with even more fervor. Draco's hands were caressing her stomach as he sucked and licked up and down each side of her neck, from right below the corner of her jaw to the edge of her shoulder.

She shivered as Blaise's lips left hers and traveled to her neck, so close to Draco's that she was surprised they didn't bump heads. Then both their tongues flicked out, sliding warm and wet across her skin to meet with each other, swirling against her skin and each other, until they were locked in a deep kiss over her shoulder.

Merlin, she wanted them. She could feel a tingle that traveled all the way down her body, shooting straight to the area between her thighs. They broke apart, and Blaise's mouth settled right in the middle of her collar bone. She arched up into his touch, loving the way his lips felt against her skin. Draco's hands slid up to cup her breasts through her bra, tracing teasing circles on top of the material with his long fingers as his tongue began to lavish attention on the tip of her earlobe.

Blaise's lips moved lower, until they were right between her breasts. She moaned. Couldn't he just hurry up and get _there _already. As if sensing her frustration, he began to lick along the lace, looking up into darkened eyes the entire time. She moaned again. Suddenly he pushed her bra down, freeing her breasts to the warm, passion filled air, her nipples hard with arousal. He nipped at her breast, flicking his tongue out across her nipple, cool wetness against her hot skin that sent shocks straight to her groin.

Gods, it felt good. Soooo good. He continued to suck and flick, sending the most pleasurable sensations throughout her body. She didn't know when Draco had wet his fingers, but they began flicking and rolling and pinching her other nipple in time with Blaise's motions. She trembled and moaned again, thrust her breasts up for their attention.

"Do you like that Hermione?" Draco growled in her ear, before licking the shell of it. She nodded. There was no way she could form coherent words at this moment. Blaise's hand reached around her to unclasp her bra, and he threw the flimsy article of clothing aside. Draco guided her back away from his bare chest and back onto the bed.

Blaise continued lavishing attention to one of her breasts, and then Draco lowered his head to the other one, sending her into a whole new range of sensation. She could feel Draco's hand traveling lower, unzipping her skirt. She wiggled out of it obligingly, kicking it off so that they were all only separated by their respective undergarments.

Blaise started to lick his way lower, and Draco lifted his hand to pay homage to the breast Blaise had left. She felt Blaise's tongue run across the lace of her knickers, just like he had with her bra.

Oh gods, oh gods, gods. His thumb had just touched her _there _through the fabric. His tongue soon followed licking and massaging her through the fabric. She was so wet, and so aroused. Draco pinched both of her nipples and captured her mouth in a kiss, just as Blaise had pushed her knickers aside and touched her sex with his tongue, taking a long swipe from the slit up with the flat of his tongue.

It was as if they were all in sync. Every movement flowed into another. She bucked her hips in time with Blaise's mouth as his tongue thrust in and out of her, and he held her legs open. Soon Blaise stripped her of her knickers, attacking her with his mouth zealously. Draco continued to lick and suck her breasts, making sure that each one was treated equally as Blaise made love to her with his mouth.

Then a finger slid into her slick wet folds, pumping in and out of her as Blaise's tongue flicked out back and forth against her clit, and then sucked her labia into his mouth. Everything was building up inside her, as if every nerve ending had been lit with a match. Another finger slid in with the first and came faster and harder, stretching her at the same time. Shock after shock stung through her body until everything exploded, pushing her forward into the wave of pleasure.

Draco kissed her once she had returned to the reality that seemed all too much like a fairytale. Then Blaise pulled him into a kiss, her juices glittering on her face until Draco licked them off, moaning the entire time. She sat up and watched as they went into kiss after kiss, grinding their erections against each other's bodies. She could feel herself getting aroused again quickly as they leisurely stripped each other of their boxers, freeing their proud prominent erections. She watched in awe as Blaise gripped Draco by the hilt and ran his hand up Draco's very long length. Would that fit inside of her? And Blaise, he was thick, how could _that _ever fit?

Those thoughts melted away however as Draco pushed Blaise's hand away, and then he steered him onto the bed next to Hermione, before lowering his head on Blaise's erection. Hermione's eyes widened as Draco's head bobbed up and down, and Blaise's hand tangled itself in his fine blond hair.

She knew they did this, she had even imagined it a couple of times, but now it was so much different. Hesitantly she brushed her hand against Blaise's chest, but continued more confidently after Blaise moaned. She touched him all over, finding that he reacted more violently as she brushed his nipple. She placed her lips experimentally on his nipple, mimicking how he had treated her breasts. Draco pulled his head off of Blaise's cock with a soft pop, and Hermione kissed him, tasting Blaise's salty flavor on his lips. Blaise moaned, and Hermione looked at Draco's erection, guilty that he was the only one that hadn't gotten as much… _attention. _

She quickly made up her mind, and pushed Draco back onto the bed, before looking at his cock curiously.

"Hermione you don't have to-" he started, but Blaise silenced him with a kiss before nodding at her. She gave the tip an experimental lick, and found he tasted a lot like Blaise and she didn't think it a nasty flavor at all, like she had heard Lavender remark before.

Slowly she sunk her head down on his penis, taking as much as she could before sucking and sliding off again. Draco moaned, and she looked up at him, loving how his eyes were clouded with lust. She tried it again until she settled into a comfortable rhythm. Soon Draco's hand made its way into her hair and he started to control her movements. She brought her hand up to massage the part she couldn't possibly fit into her mouth and Draco grunted and moaned, sending shivers of arousal down her spine.

Soon he pulled her off of him, and into a kiss, showing her exactly how grateful he was for her actions, even though she had enjoyed it quite a lot. They didn't have any need for words as he laid her back onto the bed, and then Draco and Blaise looked at each other until Blaise nodded his head. Draco would take her first, because Blaise's thickness would be more painful if he was her first.

Blaise kissed her as Draco placed himself between her thighs. Blaise snatched the vial off the table by the bed and got into place, nodded to Draco when it was time. Draco sheathed himself in one hard thrust; Blaise collecting the few drops of virgin's blood that would be key in the destruction of the horcruxes. Hermione winced in pain, but it wasn't long before the pain faded and Draco could move freely inside of her.

Blaise set the vial aside and watched as his two lovers came together for the first time, moving together hard and fast until both screamed out in ecstasy, mumbling each others names after. Hermione collected herself and kissed Blaise, pushing him down on the bed before settling him at her entrance.

Draco grabbed her waist, lowering her down on to Blaise's thick cock and creating an agonizingly slow pattern. It was sheer bliss as the friction built up and slid against each other, grinding until the tension had coiled so thickly that the slightest touch could send it springing. And then Hermione's world shattered for the third time that night, sending her straight into heaven.

They curled up together as lovers, falling into a deep sleep.

Saving the world hadn't been all that difficult.

**Are you proud of me, or did you hate it? It was kinda sappy I know, but I liked the sappy… but did you? REVIEW!! :D :D Oh one more thing, at the beginning of this chapter a Disney Song is referenced like ten times bc I was watching said movie at the time. Any guesses on the movie and the song?? (I know, watching Disney movies is the epitome of coolness)**


	24. Chapter 24

**And I am BACK!! :D :D here is the next part of our wonderful love story!**

**I don't own HP**

Hermione woke up slowly, her mind swimming back and forth between dream and reality. She snuggled closer into the blankets, and froze as she felt an arm slung tightly around her waist, and a leg that definitely didn't belong to her between her own. She forced her heavy eyelids to open and blinked, trying to get used to the dim light the candles around the room were emitting.

The first thing she noticed was the pale blond hair encircling the almost glowing face of the man in front of her. Suddenly everything came back to her and she relaxed, snuggling happily into Blaise's chest. Oh what a night.

It had been perfect. Everything she had expected it to be. Draco snored and rolled closer to her, until their noses were almost touching. Who would have guessed that Draco Malfoy, Prince of Slytherin snored? She almost giggled at the thought. And looking at the perfect angles of his face in the light, and the fine pale strands of hair glowing, she could've mistaken him for an angel. He was the perfect example of deceiving looks.

But she didn't care that he wasn't the perfect angelic prince coming to save her. If anything, she was saving him, but she didn't care. She wasn't exactly one for fairytales. Blaise pulled her in closely, and snuggled into her neck, his silky black hair touching against her skin.

And there was Blaise, the closest thing to the dark and dashing knight in shining armor she could think of. Oh yes, some would make the case that Harry was the biggest hero in her life, and though she had an amazing amount of respect and love for Harry, Harry had been _bred _to be that way. Harry had been placed in situations, and trained to be a hero, trained to hate Voldemort.

But Blaise had grown up his entire life being told Voldemort had the right idea about things. He had been cultivated to stand on the opposite side of the fence, or to be on the fence itself. Survival. But here he was, working for a cause he didn't particularly believe in and putting his safety at risk, just because he loved Draco and her. That was heroism in it's purest definition.

She sighed. It all seemed unreal. She was Hermione Granger, part of the golden trio, the brains of Gryffindor, and she was currently snuggled between two Slytherins that by all means she should loath. But she loved them. She loved them more than anything she could think of. And she felt more happy than she had ever imagined she could.

And she knew that they couldn't stay here in the Room of Requirement forever. They had a job to do, and it could be the most important job in the war. And they needed to test their idea. They needed to destroy the horcruxes. It was time to wake up.

She repeated her request to the room three times in her head, and light flared up, filling the room, before fading back to a more normal setting. Draco and Blaise both groaned at the same time, Draco turning his face in to the pillow, and Blaise turning his face into her hair. Boys.

She shook Draco's shoulder and he turned his face partly out from the pillow, opened his eyes and glared at her. "I'm tired," he grumbled before turning his face back into the pillow. He was such a baby. She shook him again, this time harder. He rolled out of her reach. Damn him.

She tried to turn and wake Blaise, but it seemed he was already awake. Or at least awake enough to be kissing his way down her neck.

"Blaise," she said gently. Didn't he realize they had more important things to be doing? He wasn't stopping, and she was getting a bit to distracted. "Blaise," she said again more forcefully.

He lifted his head from her neck and placed his lips at her ear, his warm breath skating across the shell of her ear.

"Shhh cara. Do you want Draco to wake up? There's only one way to get him up without him throwing a hissy fit," he murmured. Ugh. Was that all they thought about? Sex and sleep? She had enjoyed last night too, but now it was time to get down to business. And Draco's bloody hissy fits could be damned!

"Blaise!" she snapped annoyed as he tried to go back to his previous attentions. Draco's head snapped toward them.

"Blaise, you know better than to start without me," he growled angrily. Hermione could feel Blaise smirk into her neck he purposefully dragged his hand lightly from her waist to her breast. Hermione shivered. She needed to stay focused.

"Blaise," she said warningly, but he ignored her again. Her reprimand was cut off however with Draco's mouth crashing into hers.

It was as if she was floating, and she never wanted it to stop. He was soft and gentle in that moment, and she didn't want to let it go. But there were more important things. Every minute they wasted could be one more minute Voldemort had to figure out what they were planning; to gain the advantage. She pushed Draco back panting for breath, and quickly untangled herself from Blaise's arms.

Their expressions were priceless. Blaise looked like he was a little kid and someone had just taken away his favorite race car, and Draco looked at her grumpily as if he were about to throw a temper tantrum.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Really, you would think that both of you understand that we have more important things to do first! I shouldn't have to act like- act like your mum!"

Blaise gave her his best puppy dog pout. "But we want to play!"

Hermione glared at him, and got out of the oversized bed, grabbed her clothing and got dressed, hoping that they would follow her example. When she turned back around, closed curtains had appeared around the bed. Fine. If they wanted to sleep, they could go ahead. _She _had a duty to the Wizarding World to perform, and she could do it by herself. Well, all except for the collection of the virgin's blood. But that was beside the point. She had everything she needed now.

Walking over to a corner of the room, Hermione sat down and thought of her request to the Room three times. The large scratch she had marked the floor board with appeared, and next to it a thick set of dragon hide gloves Draco had gotten. They were going to learn from Dumbledore's mistakes, and hopefully not destroy and parts of their bodies.

She carefully lifted the plank, and immediately she could feel the dread that overcame her body, a sense of darkness that seeped into the air around her and gave her the shivers. Slowly, she lifted the blue bag out of it's space between the boards, careful not to allow any chance of the foul items inside of it from escaping. The small vial of virgin's blood was at her side next to the precious bottle of basilisk venom.

They were all in that bag. Cup, quill, and locket. Shaking, she placed the bag on the ground, and picked up the small bowl, putting a drop of the blood in the bowl, and pouring a bit of basilisk venom it.

She was going to do this. For better, or for worse.


	25. Chapter 25

**Hello all! Here is chapter 25! I hope you like it! :D**

Hermione took a deep breath, steadying herself as she lifted the dropper holding the precious mixture of basilisk venom and her blood. She lifted the bag, and loosened the drawstring. She could feel the energy coming from it. It was almost suffocating.

Carefully, she placed the tip of the dropper in the opening of the bag, and she closed her eyes, and thought of everything she loved. Blaise. Draco. Harry and Ron. Ginny, the twins, and all the Weasleys. All the members of the Order. Her parents. She squeezed with her fingers, and she could almost sense the droplets falling into the bag in slow motion as she emptied the dropper.

She heard the hiss first. She snapped her eyes open and dropped the bag. A dark black smoke was coming from the opening and the fabric was dissolving, leaving a putrid smell, almost akin to dried blood. That did not look good.

The smoke rose and condensed in to a black shapeless mass of goo, and the objects shattered in an instant, with a high whining screech.

"Bloody hell Hermione, we're up!" she heard Draco yell from the bed, but she was completely focused on what was happening before her. The black mass was stretching and growing before her, and everything was getting cold. The small pieces of the horcruxes had frozen over, encased in a layer of ice. The air was freezing as it went into her lungs, scratching her throat. She had felt like this before.

Oh Merlin. She felt like she was being drained. Happiness was slipping away from her. Before her eyes every horrid thing that had every happened to her was flashing before her eyes. From the first time she had heard the word "mud blood" to that night at the ball.

"Merlin's balls!" She heard a faint voice yell, but everything seemed so far away compared to what was in front of her. She was scared. Scared and shivering. And everything was so sad. She couldn't even remember happiness as she stared blankly into the large floating hood of the Dementor gliding toward her; the Dementor she had created.

She didn't know when she had fallen to her knees, all she knew was the cold feel of death that had sunk into her skin. The Dementor was above her, appearing as mocking as a Dementor could appear to be. She knew she should fight, she knew how to stop this, but she couldn't think of a single happy memory.

And then everything was fading into shades of gray. It was getting colder and colder, and she could feel it sucking her life away, but she couldn't move. And the next thing she knew, there was a blinding white light. And then there was nothing.

She came to at once, the lights and sounds seeming foreign to her ears as she tried to make sense of what had happened.

"Bloody hell, what are we supposed to do? We can't just keep it caged here! Besides, I'm freezing."

"Well we can't exactly go to McGonagall and tell her Hermione made herself a pet Dementor. Oh yea, plus we had sex in Hogwarts to do it. And used basilisk venom. Don't forget the horcruxes we've been hiding. I can see that going over just peachily."

"You forget she's a member of the Order. The good of our world comes first," a voice said, that Hermione had finally identified as Draco. She heard Blaise snort.

Hermione pulled herself up, and stretched, remembering everything that had happened. She had destroyed the horcruxes, but she had also created a Dementor. Crap. That was a problem.

**Soooo…. Now because I know you are all awesome… you should review! Thanks bunches!**


	26. Chapter 26

**So last chapter was a bit confusing for some, so let me explain what happened. Hermione poured the mixture of her blood and the basilisk venom on the horcruxes. Black goo smoke came out and formed a Dementor, thus she created a Dementor. Why did I do this? Well I always thought Dementors were an interesting concept. This is my theology:**

**1) horcruxes are pieces of a person's soul**

**2) Dementors suck up people's souls**

**Therefore my idea is that Dementor's were created through the freeing of horcruxes from their material confines. The Dementors suck or eat (however you want to put it) other people's souls in order to complete the fragment that they are, they have an innate need to be whole, and that leads to the trying to eat souls thing, because it's "unnatural" to have pieces of a soul. So, when Hermione destroyed the horcruxes she created a Dementor. I hope that's cleared up. Does it make sense? Tell me yes or no when you review please. **

**I don't own HP. :D **

"What are we going to do?" Hermione asked frustratingly pacing back and forth, sending frantic glances toward the corner where the Dementor was trapped and kept hitting the Patronus shield around it.

"Well, I vote we go to McGonagall," Draco drawled, looking at his fingernails bored.

"I say we leave it here," Blaise replied.

"And put students in danger? We are _not _leaving it here Blaise," Hermione snapped. Would the Dementor just stop banging against the shield? It was getting annoying.

"Good, two to one. We go to McGonagall." Draco said standing smugly.

"We'll get expelled! Are you crazy!" Hermione shook her head. Ugh. That banging.

Blaise rolled his eyes. "You can't have it both ways Hermione," he said patiently reminding her of Molly Weasley's polite scolding.

"I'd prefer a better option!"

"Well, can you think of anything better Granger?" Malfoy drawled raising his eyebrows at her.

She could think if the Dementor would just stop that banging. "Give me a moment." She could see Draco and Blaise roll their eyes simultaneously.

"McGonagall will understand," Draco pointed out.

Blaise snorted, "Oh yea, she's just going to look over the fact that we had sex, kept horcruxes secret and created a Dementor. Maybe if we were Potter and Weasley, but as it stands they're just going to think we corrupted their perfect little Gryffindor Princess."

"But Granger's morality gets in the way of leaving it here," Draco said.

"Yes, but we can out vote her-"

"Would you two just SHUT IT?! And for god sakes you stupid Dementor, you aren't going to get out so _stop trying!_" Hermione yelled. And then there was silence.

Wait a minute, had it actually listened to what she said? She looked over at the corner. The Dementor was still, its dark hood facing her.

"Did it just listen to you?" Draco asked shock apparent on his face. It wasn't every day she could see the Great Draco Malfoy surprised, and she would have savored the moment if it wasn't for the fact that she was just as shocked.

"Tell it to do something else," Blaise suggested.

Hermione nodded. "Turn in a circle," she ordered. The Dementor spun around. Merlin, it _was _listening to her.

"Well, that makes the decision a lot easier. Just order it to stay here." Blaise stood, dusting off invisible dust from his clothing. "Shall we go to breakfast?"

"Well, I guess we can take off its cage then. It seems cruel to trap it when it'll listen to what I say." Hermione said, eyeing the Dementor suspiciously.

"Hermione, I know you like saving things, but this is most definitely not a time to even consider that," Draco said.

"I'm not trying to _save _it, but if I can just order it to stay here, why does it matter whether it's in a cage or not?" Hermione replied.

"Hermione, we don't even know how long it will continue listening to you. We have no idea if it is bound to what you say forever, or if it's just for an hour or two. And you don't want it to get loose do you?" Draco said.

"Fine," Hermione huffed.

"We really should go get breakfast. Wouldn't want anyone getting suspicious, would we?" Blaise said.

Hermione sighed. "I guess you're right."

"Aren't we always right Granger?" Draco said smugly.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Let's just go to breakfast."

Blaise kissed her, leaving her breathless before exiting, Draco following behind. Hermione waited for a couple of minutes, and looked over at the Dementor floating in it's cage. "Stay here." she ordered as sternly as possible. Hermione had no idea whether it understood her or not, but she left the Room of Requirement without a second glance.

**K… so I promise we'll get into more BZ/HG/DM soon… but this is equally important to the plot so bear with me. Review!**


	27. Chapter 27

**I'm sorry for the weird underlining thing keeps doing... and it cutting out my author's note :( but now it's all fixed!!**

**I don't own Harry Potter.**

"Anything new?" Hermione whispered, making sure to keep her eyes on the map to see if anyone was coming. Zacharias shook his head no. Two weeks and no progress in her spy network. They were still testing Zacharias's loyalty, and thought they seemed to trust Blaise's turn around, after all he was one of their own, neither Draco, Blaise, or Zacharias were privy to any helpful information.

At least she knew who the members of the groups were… Well, everyone except the leader. That was a complete mystery. And that was dangerous not to know. If the final battle was at Hogwarts, then they needed to know who could be trusted. She was scared. She still didn't know why Harry and Ron had yet to contact her, and she hadn't heard anything from Fred and George. Not to mention she had no clue what was being done in the Order outside of her mission, Draco's mission, and of course Harry and Ron.

Hermione sighed. "You're doing fine. The longer you're with them the more they'll trust you. We might have to stage something to get you higher in the ranks though."

Zacharias nodded. "I better go before someone in Hufflepuff starts getting suspicious about my recent absences."

"Be careful," Hermione reminded. He nodded again and walked out of the library, putting his invisibility cloak back on. How he had gotten one of those she had no idea, but she had to admit it was useful, especially since Harry had taken his with him. Hermione took one look at the map to make sure the coast was clear and exited the library. It wouldn't do for the head girl to be caught after hours.

She had to divert her path a couple of times to avoid Mrs. Norris, but she eventually made it to the Common Room. Blaise and Draco were sitting on the couch reading, and she smiled. Their relationship was better than ever, and Hermione had to admit, it felt amazing to let go of convention and do what you wanted to do. She had never been much of a rebel, but she found a new appreciation for it.

She dropped her bag on the floor by the chair, making sure it leaned vertically before plopping down in between Draco and Blaise giving them each a peck on the cheek. Neither looked up from their books, but she saw a small smile tugging at the corners of Blaise's mouth.

"Did you check on Inky?" she asked, poking Draco in the arm.

"You know that's an absolutely ridiculous name don't you?" Draco drawled.

Hermione frowned. "I think it's cute."

"That's the problem Hermione. Dementors are _not_ cute, therefore, you should not give them cute names," Blaise responded, turning a page of his book.

"I think Inky is cute."

Draco snorted. "Even though it tried to suck out your soul?"

"He made one mistake. He's been very good lately. Did you check on him, or did you not?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "He's the same as he was before, but he's not eating the food you put out for him. I told you Dementors don't eat chicken."

"It was worth a try. I just feel so bad about keeping it cooped up in the room… and I'm so scared someone will stumble across the room… Maybe we should move it to my room… I mean, it's not like I actually use it anymore…" she said blushing. She had been sharing Blaise's room with Draco and Blaise, and had practically moved all of her stuff in there, but it was still embarrassing to admit their _nightly activities _out loud.

"Hermione, do you really want a Dementor floating around our dorms?" Blaise asked looking up from his book.

"Well, he listens to me doesn't he? It's not as if you're in danger," Hermione replied.

"What would we get in return?" Draco asked smirking.

"My eternal gratitude?" Hermione tried.

"You know Slytherins like things a bit more… substantial," Blaise replied winking.

"Well, if Inky's in my room, then I'll be forced to stay in your room now won't I?"

"But we've already got you there so that's not really a good bargaining tool, now is it Granger?" Draco drawled.

"Fine. What do you want?" Hermione huffed.

Draco and Blaise glanced at each other and nodded. "We don't want you spending time with Valski alone anymore," they both said simultaneously.

Hermione laughed. "That's all? You two must be seriously jealous then." Blaise mumbled something under his breath. "What was that?" Hermione asked, trying to raise one of her eyebrows, but failing miserably.

"I said, you find him attractive," Blaise repeated louder, which only made Hermione laugh more.

"First of all, I'm not exactly the cheating type am I? And secondly, do really think a Professor would try something with a student?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "You underestimate your attractiveness, and the stupidity of males. I wouldn't put it past anyone who's in to smart chicks, and Valski is most definitely into smart chicks."

"I think you're both being ridiculous, but if it makes you any happier, I'll get Ginny to start coming."

"So, how are we going to sneak your little warped pet into your room?"


	28. Chapter 28

**Hello all. Thank you for the reviews, and I hope you all enjoy this chapter!**

**I don't own HP**

"Inky, move faster!" Hermione whispered frantically. They were almost at the portrait, but Filch was walking up a staircase that would currently lead him around the corner. Inky dutifully sped up, but then passed the portrait door. Merlin, Filch was around the corner. "Inky stop!" Inky stopped, and Hermione muttered "unity," opening the portrait door. "Inky go in. Quickly please!" she whispered. She followed and slammed the portrait shut, just before Filch rounded the corner.

That was close. "Follow me Inky," Hermione ordered, heading up toward her dorm. "Now, this is your new room. You can go anywhere you like in this room, but you can't leave. Is that clear?"

Inky just floated there. Sometimes she forgot he couldn't respond to her. Hermione sighed. "Make yourself at home. And remember do not leave this room." Inky floated toward the window, and Hermione felt her heart twist with guilt. Even if Inky was a Dementor, she hated having him caged up. "Alright then, I'm leaving. But if you need anything, you can… hit the wall. But don't brake anything. "

Hermione left the cold room, and closed the door behind her, before disillusioning herself. Two things she had learned tonight. First, Dementors couldn't be disillusioned, and second, she had to be very specific with her orders. Hermione laid down on the couch. Today had been a tiring day.

She'd spent the first half of her days trying locator spells to find Harry and Ron, but she'd had no luck. Of course, it was probably a good thing because that meant that Voldemort couldn't find them either. But then it could also mean that he already had- she couldn't think about that. What she needed to do is contact the twins, but she needed to find a way to do that without fear of Voldemort intercepting.

The worst part of today was McGonagall calling her into her office. The Daily Prophet was of course being controlled by the Death Eaters, and Luna Lovegood's father, the editor of _The Quibbler _which had ironically become the only reliable source on the true happenings of the war was now under Order protection, and had to discontinue the magazine, so Hermione had no idea what had been happening until McGonagall had called her to her office. She was shocked to hear there had been three recent Deatheater raids, and Tonks was severely injured in one of them.

Her head hurt. Blaise's door opened and Draco and Blaise came out sitting on the chairs.

"So, plan sneak the Dementor into your room successful?" Draco asked. Hermione nodded.

"What's the matter Cara?" said Blaise concerned. And then she couldn't stop the tears from coming. Tonks was hurt. And it wasn't just a little scratch. She was hit with a life-threatening curse. The same curse that she had been hit with at the Department of Mysteries. Antonin Dolohov's curse. Her hand reflexively touched the scar on her chest.

Tonks could die. She had a whole life ahead of her. She had gotten married to Remus over the summer, and they could be happy together, and maybe have children if it weren't for Voldemort. She felt someone lift her up and cradle her, and she cried into Draco's chest.

"Shhhh, Cara," Blaise whispered, patting her back soothingly. The tears slowed eventually and she snuggled into Draco's warm chest, hoping that Tonks would be okay.

"Now, will you tell us what brought this crying streak on?" Draco whispered in her ear.

Her response got muffled by his shirt, and she had to lift her head away from his warm body to reply. "Your cousin got hurt," she said her eyes glittering with tears again.

Draco swallowed. "My cousin? Nymphadora was hurt?"

Hermione nodded.

"How badly?" Draco asked almost hesitantly.

Hermione closed her eyes. "She was hit by Dolohov. His curse of course."

Draco was instantly rigid. "I'll kill the bastard," he whispered fiercely.

Hermione froze. She had forgotten how close Draco had grown to Tonks since joining the Order. Tonks had been the one to take him under her wing, the only one who had not only accepted his allegiance, but went out of her way to make him feel comfortable, and fiercely defended him, reminding all of them that his blood was hers as well, and that no one was to mess with him. She didn't want him to do anything rash.

"Draco," Hermione whispered. Draco stood abruptly clutching his arm.

"I have to go," he said crisply, leaving the room. Merlin. He must have been called. The tears began to fall all over again. Blaise wrapped his arms around her and whispered soothing words into her ears. They fell asleep wrapped in each other on the couch.

Draco passed through the wards with ease, his cloak covering his face as he headed down the dark hallway toward the library. Portraits of his ancestors lined the walls, some sneering, some looking down at him with haughty superiority. Dim light shone underneath the library doors and he entered, mask securely over his face as he melded into the sea of the other cloaked Deatheaters. He felt disgusted with his very presence there. Disgusted that his father was in this very room. Disgusted that his family was being used for these purposes, and disgusted that he had to be there.

He pushed his way through the crowd, making his way to the second circle, standing behind Snape, his place in the twisted organization.

"Announcing Lord Voldemort. Bow before your master" he heard his father command as Voldemort entered, the Deatheaters creating and aisle for him to pass through. Draco kneeled obligingly, forcing his thoughts of disgust to disappear, and focusing on his loyalty, but also his anger at Dolohov, so Voldemort would sense it as he walked by. Draco could see the hem of Voldemort's robe as he passed, and saw him pause. Good, he had noticed.

"You may rise loyal followers," Voldemort hissed. Draco rose, as did everyone around him.

"Graines, step forth," Voldemort commanded lazily, from the cushioned chair he was sitting in. A low rank Death Eater came down the aisle and knelt in front of Voldemort.

"You stood a minute ago Graines, did you not?" Voldemort drawled.

"Yes milord," Graines squeaked.

"Did you listen to my order Graines?"

"Of course milord," Graines squeaked out again.

"Of course milord," Voldemort mocked in a high-pitched voice. "Did you hear that Lucius? Of course he listened to my order."

"So he says milord," Lucius agreed.

"Since you listen so carefully to my orders Graines, why don't you tell me what they were?"

"Y-y-you asked all of your loyal followers to stand milord," Graines whimpered pitifully.

"You are right Graines, I asked all my loyal followers to stand. But you directly disobeyed my order, did you not Graines? You aren't a loyal follower, and yet you stood."

"Milord, I am loyal," Graines whimpered.

"Quiet!" Voldemort hissed. "I hate groveling," he said kicking the man called Graines. "And I hate liars even more. While all of your heads were filled with your passion to be here, and your loyalty to our cause, Graines was thinking of what his half-blood cousin would think of his presence here. Not only was Graines thinking of that, but then, he also thought that he should leave, defy me, because what we are doing according to him my brothers, is _wrong." _

There was mumbling amongst the Deatheaters.

"And so, he must be punished. Bellatrix dear, will you please take care of this sniveling mess?"

"It would be my honor, milord. _Crucio!_" Bellatrix cackled.

The man screamed in torment for minutes, and it seemed almost like hours to Draco. Still he managed to keep his head clear of anything that might give him away.

"Enough play Bella. Get rid of him." Voldemort said bored.

His aunt nodded, and then with an "_Avada Kedavra_" and a flash of green light Gaines was dead. But Draco noticed something strange, Nagini didn't slither down and feast on the corpse. Where was the snake?

"Now that that is taken care of, another of you was thinking about a half-blood cousin. Young Mr. Malfoy, step forward."

Draco mentally prepared himself and then walked up to Voldemort's chair and then kneeled before him. "Yes, milord."

"Remove your mask," Voldemort commanded, and Draco obeyed.

"Why does the injury of your cousin anger you? After all, she is working for the Order."

"Milord, I was in the process of bringing her to our side, as I have previously shown, Nymphadora is not only tired of being separated from the powerful side of her family, but she has also been very partial toward me. She would be a strong asset, and would be a perfect leak from the Auror department, and as you know she is a metamorphagus. Not only has Dolohov attacked a member of my family, but he has also jeopardized my progress at bringing a valuable asset into our midst." Draco responded, bringing up real memories, and mixing in a couple of fake ones involving Nymphadora ranting about her mother and father, her respect for Bellatrix, and her occasional thoughts about joining the Deatheaters.

He felt Voldemort rummaging through his thoughts, and he could tell his attempts were successful.

"What would you like me to do young Malfoy? I can see your point, but how do you suggest punishing Dolohov?" Voldemort hissed with delight.

"I would like your permission to duel him milord."

"Ah, entertainment. You have my permission. Dolohov, please step forward." Voldemort hissed, excitement apparent in his voice.

Draco drew his wand, and stared at Dolohov with hate as Dolohov discarded his mask, and then grinned at him crookedly.

Voldemort looked between his two followers with glee, and then hissed, "Let the duel begin!"

**REVIEW!! I know, I'm evil for leaving the cliffy. **


	29. Chapter 29

**So everyone anxious to find out what happened? ;) I don't own HP! And Thank you all sooooo much for your reviews!**

"Of all the stupid, idiotic things you could have done, you decided to duel Antonin Dolohov? Do you have no sense of self- preservation?"

"Shut it," Draco groaned, wincing as Snape rubbed healing balm on a particularly nasty cut above his eyebrow.

"Shut it? That's what you should have done. A seventeen year old _boy _challenging Antonin Dolohov to a duel, and coming out in one piece. You got lucky boy," Snape sneered at him.

Draco didn't feel that lucky. His left forearm was scorched from an incendio, his legs ached with the after effects of transmogrifian torture, and one of his ribs had been cracked from being blasted into the wall. But at least he wasn't dead. Antonin Dolohov couldn't say as much.

***

"Ahhh!" Hermione screamed as she fell off the couch and onto the floor with a thump. Hermione rubbed her puffy eyes and blinked, adjusting to the bright light filtering through the windows.

Hermione sat up and stared at the empty fireplace. Was Draco alright? He'd been gone all night, and though Hermione didn't know how long Death Eater meetings usually lasted, but she didn't think they lasted that long. Now she could understand exactly where Draco had been coming from when he didn't want Blaise to be involved. This was torture.

She pulled her knees into her chest, and curled in trying to ignore the fleeting thoughts of death and pain that crossed her mind. She didn't want to lose him. She _couldn't _lose him. Not someone else she loved.

Her eyes burned, dry and unable to shed more tears. She had cried herself out. She wanted him to be alright. Oh Merlin, let him be alright!

"Cara, Draco can take care of himself. He'll be fine," Blaise whispered in her ear.

"But what if-"

"We can deal with that if it happens. Right now, we have to hope he's alright, and be here for him when he comes back."

***

Draco groaned and glared at Snape. "What?"

"Wake up boy. We need to work on your occlumency. You obviously aren't adept enough," Snape said coldly.

Draco rolled his eyes. "I _wanted_ Voldemort to see what he saw."

"I would have never marked you as that much of an idiot Draco," Snape said disappointedly.

"I knew what I was doing _Uncle _Severus, it was planned and it worked. Nothing more to it."

"But why even take the risk? Your mother sacrificed herself for you, and then you put your life in danger, and for what? Nymphadora is fine and recovering, though she is experiencing the pain that comes with losing a child. And your petty revenge could have had more negative consequences than positive," Snape said.

"I had my reasons," Draco replied stubbornly. It wasn't just for Tonks. He knew how much Dolohov had hurt Hermione, and he knew that ever since the Department of Mysteries Dolohov had developed some sick twisted thing for causing her pain. After he parents had died, Draco had found out that Dolohov had been the one to suggest going after her parents. And he had heard whispers of Dolohov's talk about getting his hands on "Potter's mudblood" as he called her. And he didn't want Hermione to have to fight that sick twisted bastard.

"Well, would you like to share these "reasons"?" Snape snapped. Draco shook his head smirking. Snape sniffed distastefully and headed over to one of the potions cabinets in his small house, and pulled out a vial filled with colorless liquid. "I hate to do this Draco, but just as you know the secret that could jeopardize me, I must know any secret that may jeopardize you."

***

Her day had been horrible. Absolutely horrible. Draco still hadn't come back. And now she was really freaked out. He had to be safe. Blaise had tried to be reassuring, but she could tell he was starting to get nervous too. He had to be alright. He just had to.

***

"I can not believe this!" Draco growled.

"Believe it. You know about Lily. Why did you really want to kill Antonin Dolohov?"

Draco gritted his teeth together, but he could feel the pressure of the veritaserum pushing against his insides. "To protect Hermione."

Snape looked surprised. "Granger? Aren't you _involved _with Zabini?"

***

Hermione couldn't do any homework. She couldn't concentrate. She stared at the fire in silence next to Blaise waiting. Please, let him be alright.

***

"Well, to each his own I believe. You know ménage à trois aren't that frowned upon in the Wizarding world. A tad unethical of course, but then who are we to think about ethical?" Snape sneered mockingly.

Draco winced. He couldn't believe he had actually told Snape what he just had. Talk about awkward.

"Well, you wouldn't want your _lovers _to be worried now would you?"

***

She couldn't go to sleep. She could tell Blaise was awake too, even though he tried to feign sleep to keep her calm. She shook his shoulder, and he rolled over, opening his eyes obligingly.

"I can't sleep."

"I know cara."

"You can't either."

"I know."

"Then what are we doing? I know dozens of locator spells."

***

"What are you going to carry me back? I can't move my legs."

Snape sniffed disdainfully. "I am in fact going to carry you back. And then leave you in the know-it-all's hands. She is most capable of looking after you."

"Did you just compliment Hermione?" he asked grinning.

"I've never said that the witch didn't have talent. Just that she needs to learn how to control that overly used mouth."

"I assure you Uncle Severus that that mouth can be put to very good use," Draco said smugly.

"I do not want to hear the intimate details Malfoy."

***

Why was the spell being so inconclusive? One moment it showed exactly where he was, the next there was nothing but a huge blur. Then the fire crackled louder than usual and the familiar green flash of the floo filled the room.

And there was Snape, stepping out of the fire with Draco cradled in her arms. And Hermione had never been happier than in that moment.

**Please review!**


	30. Chapter 30

**Well, hello to all. I'm srry for such the late update, to those of you who don't know, I was having computer issues yet again, and I had to rewrite this chapter. But at least it is just in time for the holidays?**

Hermione stood beside Blaise in the memory, watching as Draco kneeled before Voldemort saying "yes, milord," the image of a subservient Death Eater. Voldemort commanded Draco to remove his mask, and Draco obeyed his pale face blank of emotion. Voldemort asked why Draco cared about Tonks, and Hermione Glared, wishing she could intervene, even though she knew this was a memory, and there was nothing she could do to change what had happened.

Draco launched into a very convincing tirade and Hermione had to admit she was impressed with his resilience and his ability with occulmency, and it was clear that Voldemort had no idea that Draco's motives were not exactly what he said. Hermione felt sick as Dolohov stepped forward, discarding his mask. That crooked grin had been the subject of many a nightmare for her. She felt Blaise's arm slip reassuringly around her waste. Dolohov was dead now. He couldn't do anything to her.

The duel was intense. If Hermione didn't already know the outcome of the duel, she didn't think she could have watched. There was something beautiful about Draco as he dueled, despite the horrifying cheers of the Death Eaters for blood and plain. It was like watching a particularly frightening movie, knowing the end, but still nervous about throughout. She clutched Blaise as Draco made a close call with Dolohov's curse, the purple flames just missing him, the same curse that had left the scar on her chest. She smiled with grim satisfaction as Draco's sectumsempra hit Dolohov squarely in the chest, knocking him back and causing him to clutch his chest in pain.

Draco had obviously thought the duel was over, and mistakenly started to turn around right when Dolohov hit him with a curse Hermione didn't recognize, causing Draco to collapse and writhe in pain. The Death Eaters seemed to surge with the screams, and Dolohov looked sickly pleased despite the amount of blood he was losing. Dolohov healed part of his wound enough so that he could stand over Draco. He lifted the curse and then cast an _incendio_, but Draco rolled over, the fire only catching his arm. Dolohov cackled, and levitated Draco, slamming him into the wall, but he missed Draco lifting his arm and muttering _deprimo. _It was a deadly mistake. Dolohov was hit right where his wound was blasting it open and sending him flying into the other wall. Hermione heard a sickening crack, and looked with disgust at the odd way that Dolohov's neck had twisted.

Voldemort's cold high laugh reverberated off the walls as the Death Eater's cheered. Hermione felt sick. "Well Draco, that was quite a show," Hermione heard Voldemort say over the crowd, just as the image began to blur and she was pushed out of the pensieve.

Blaise caught her so that she didn't fall, and she looked at Draco, unsure of how to react to what she had seen.

"Draco…" she started timidly.

"Well, I guess this means our little affair has come to an end," Draco whispered darkly before turning and exiting the room without another word.

What had just happened?

"He thinks you will look down on him now, that you won't want to be associated with a Death Eater," Blaise said, noticing the puzzled expression on her face.

"Why would he think a thing like that? He can't honestly think I know longer love him just because I've seen him in the robes. It's not as if I didn't see his mark when we were having sex for Merlin's sake."

"Well… I guess… you were so persistent about knowing what happened-"

"Of course I was! He risked his life for me, and I'm tending to the remains of his wounds. I love him. Of course I wanted to know what happened. You didn't think I would just bloody leave because I saw him kneeling to that bastard did you? What he and Snape do is the most important and commendable job anyone could be doing in this war effort. And what I saw just showed me how lucky I was to be loved by a man that brave. He honestly believed I wouldn't want him anymore?" Hermione asked incredulously.

It had been three days since Snape had carried Draco in through the floo and her life had been put back together. Two days of asking Draco about what had happened before he had ordered her to retrieve his pensieve, and then allowed them to see exactly what had happened for their own eyes. And he had thought she wouldn't love him anymore?

"Well…" Blaise muttered looking down uncertainly.

"You thought the same didn't you?" Hermione whispered. Blaise's head snapped up, the guilt in his face confirming it. "You thought I wouldn't be able to handle that he was a Death Eater after all I've been through? After all _we've_ been through? I've known he was Death Eater since Dumbledore's death. I knew he was a Death Eater when I first kissed him, and gave my virginity to him. I know what side he's on, and I know he loves me, and if anything, seeing him give that bastard Dolohov his own medicine just cemented the fact that he is one of the most intelligent, talented, strong, and _brave_ wizards I have ever met. And I'm proud to say it," Hermione snapped, eyes flashing before stalking to Blaise's door, and rapping on it hard.

Draco opened the door, and looked at her, trying to keep his face blank, but unable to control the small signs of distress in his features. "Yes Granger?" He whispered dejectedly.

Without a second thought Hermione flung her arms around his neck and smashed her lips to him, pushing him back into the darkness of Blaise's room. She stopped kissing his mouth and latched herself to his neck as he gasped for air.

"I'm a Death Eater," he panted as she pushed him onto the bed.

Hermione straddled him, and looked him directly in the eyes. "You're a spy for the Order of the Phoenix," she scolded sternly, sounding very much like an impatient Molly Weasley.

"That doesn't make up for the things I've done. I'm not a nice person Hermione. I killed Dolohov. Hell, I _murdered _Dolohov. I'm just like him." He said quietly.

Hermione gently stroked his pale cheek, and brushed his silky blond hair out of his eyes. "He would have killed many other people. He has killed many people. He raped innocent girls. He tortured people for his own personal amusement. You killed him to protect innocent people from him you are nothing like that sick bastard."

A wild glint came into his eyes as he sat up, and roughly grabbed her waist. He stared her straight in the eyes as he rolled up the sleeve to reveal the pale skin of his left forearm, and the black mark that marred it. "This says otherwise."

Hermione grabbed his arm, and lifted it up, placing her lips where the dark mark rested. "This says that you had so much love for your mother that you were willing to give up your freedom to keep her safe. For you, this is a mark of bravery. For him, it was a mark of hatred. You are not, nor will you ever be a monster like Antonin Dolohov."

He kissed her roughly and frantically, tangling his hand in her hair. Hermione heard a knock on the door, and she broke away from Draco's kiss, gasping for breath. She opened up the door for Blaise and took him by surprise when she grabbed him by his tie and pulled her to him, attacking his mouth with fervor.

"So I take it you aren't mad at me?" Blaise asked timidly when they broke apart.

"No. I guess it was partially my fault. I should have made it clear that I would love you two no matter what. I am a bit peeved that you two would jump to the conclusions you did, but right now, I think it's time we properly celebrate that Draco was able to come back to us in one piece."

"I second that," Draco drawled right in her ear before licking the shell of it teasingly. How he had snuck up on her, she didn't know, but she was glad. She grabbed Blaise by his tie again, hungrily kissing him. She needed them. She needed them to understand that.

Draco was guiding them backwards toward the bed. Blaise dug his fingers into her waist as he pulled her closer to him and Hermione snaked her hand up into his black locks, trying to get as close to him as she possible could.

It was rough and fast, not at all like the tender first time that they had shared, but it was what the needed. They practically ripped each others clothes off (actually she thought that Draco might have _actually_ ripped her knickers) in their hunger to be closer, to be skin on skin. They were sweaty and passion filled as they touched and groped, reveling in the feeling of each others bodies. Each touch was like a shock to Hermione, sending the most delicious sensations to her stomach, a ball of tension forming within her, and a gush of warmth flooding down to her center.

She whined as Blaise's fingers began to work their magic against her wet slit, moaning in ecstasy as he touched her in all the right ways, and becoming even more excited as she watching Draco touching Blaise.

It wasn't long before Blaise lifted her leg onto his shoulder, thrusting into her hard. Her orgasm came quickly as he drove into her repeatedly, and he followed, egged on by Draco's attentions. Once they had both caught their breath, they turned to Draco, lovingly worshipping his body till he came with a small cry, sated and smiling.

Hermione had never felt anything like what she had just experienced. And thought she was frightened that their relationship might not turn out quite right, she was ready to take the risk of whatever was ahead of them. They would defeat Voldemort, and the she could be with her boys for the rest of her life.

**So was it worth the wait? Review, because I'll love you for it. **


	31. Chapter 31

**Okay, well here is your New Years present from me! Enjoy!!!**

Hermione glared at the piece of paper that had done nothing to help her so far. It really was her fault to begin with. She couldn't run the risk of Voldemort being able to find Harry and Ron while they were horcrux hunting, so she had made them rings that were layered with protection charms, and kept them unplottable, effectively making sure that if Voldemort happened upon them, it would be by accident. The only problem with this was that she couldn't find them either, despite the fact that she had engineered the charmed rings herself. It was a necessary consequence that they had to deal with.

Still she wasn't about to give up her attempts at making contact with them. She had tried the old DA coins, all the locator spells she knew (and a few she had invented), and she had tried to make her own version of the Marauder's map, but quickly learned that she could only do so with places she had been; if she hadn't been to a certain place, she couldn't create a map of it, magic or no magic.

The Room of Requirement hadn't been of any assistance, and she really needed to know what was happening to them. She had talked to Gred, and Forge- Fred and George she thought quickly correcting herself- and neither Harry nor Ron had contacted them since before the fair. And even if she couldn't talk to them, she needed to know they were at least alive. She needed that.

She looked up at the walls of the room of requirement that were lined with all sorts of books on location spells (all that she had already read) and closed her eyes, asking three times for information on dementors. When she opened her eyes, only one shelf of books lined the walls. It seemed that dementors weren't a popular study subject.

She had been putting off research on Inky's peculiar behavior for a while now, and since she wasn't getting anywhere in trying to contact Harry and Ron, she might as well do something useful. Blaise and Draco were off at Quidditch practice anyway so she had a good hour and a half left to herself.

She let her finger drift along the spine of the first text that had no name and shivered as the cold chills traveled up her arm. Definitely a dark text. She'd had enough of those. The next one, _Magical Creatures of the Dark_, was harmless, but only had a couple of pages devoted to dementors. She flipped through the pages quickly, scanning, but of course there was nothing written there that she didn't already know. Most of the other books were the same; they were either dark, or useless. And Hermione had learned her lesson regarding dark texts. She would have Draco or Blaise check them out before reading them.

Then just as she thought there was no hope, she found a small notebook, sandwiched between two dark texts. Hermione slipped the book out, and her eyes widened as she saw the silver letters printed in the right hand corner. R. A. B.

She flipped to the inside page, and sure enough the inside cover of the journal confirmed her suspicions about the thief of the locket.

_This journal belongs to one Regulus Arcturus Black_.

So it had been why Regulus had been killed. She had suspected that he had been the one to steal the locket. After all, the fact that it had shown up in the Black family home, with his initials, and considering that no one knew exactly why he had been killed by Voldemort… anyone with a modicum of intelligence would have put the pieces of the puzzle together. She snuggled down into the ironically green armchair the room had conjured for her and began reading the journal of Regulus Black.

***

"Ron, DUCK!" Harry yelled, dodging another curse, which hit a branch, sending it crashing to the ground. He looked over his shoulder and Ron was scrambling over the branch, a purple curse nearly missing the top of his head. "Confringo!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, no chance to appear triumphant as one of the black cloaked figures burst into flames.

He ran stumbling through the forest, Ron behind him, throwing curses and hexes as he could. He smirked as Ron hit one of the Deatheaters with a bat-boogey. Thank God for Ginny. A pang of sorrow washed over him at the thought of the beautiful redhead, but he quickly silenced the thoughts and threw another Conjunctivitus curse curse at the swarm of Death Eaters.

"Harry grab my arm!" Ron practically shrieked as he twisted the know on the watch trying to run all the while. The arms of the watch aligned at twelve, and Harry managed to grab on to Ron's cloak as the portkey activated, sending them into the swirl of color and nausea.

They landed with a thud on the wooden floor of headquarters, their harsh breaths echoing loudly in the empty Order Headquarters.

"Well, that was a close one mate," Ron muttered breaking the tense silence.

"It was," Harry agreed nodding. They hadn't found another horcrux to Harry's disappointment. One more. That was all he needed. But he couldn't even find a whisper of another horcrux. He had been everywhere he could connect to Voldemort. The orphanage, back to the cave, the Riddle Manor, Stonehenge, Albania, and they had been running through a forest in Russia when he had made the mistake of breaking Voldemort's taboo. He had thought that Hermione's ring would protect their location… but it seemed that Hermione hadn't factored the taboo into her spellwork. Stupid ruddy Voldemort, and his stupid ruddy name.

"Mate, we should figure out a code name for future reference. Somethin' that still says "we aren't afraid" but doesn't get Deatheaters shootin' bloody curses at us when we say it," Ron said dusting himself off and then heading, of course, toward the kitchen.

Harry shook his head and stood up, glaring at the dark gloomy room before following Ron into the kitchen.

The pantry was stocked with food as always, and Ron didn't waste anytime digging into some chicken and pasta, and Harry stared at him in wonder as he shoveled food into his mouth. How could Ron eat that way in a time like this? Harry shook his head again. He was starting to sound like Hermione _in his mind. _ Now that was a scary thought.

"Muhayecanfallimoldy," Ron tried to say with his mouth full of food. Harry suddenly felt a large appreciation for his bushy-haired friend's scolding of Ron's table manners.

"What was that Ron?" He asked mimicking Hermione's voice, which earned him a punch in the arm from the redhead.

Ron gulped his food down, and repeated, "Maybe we can call him Voldy," he said with a grin reminiscent of Fred and George.

Harry laughed. "Ron, I think that's the best idea you've had… well ever," he said chuckling. Ron punched him again grinning.

'We'll have to get the memo out to the order. Actually, it's about time we get a meeting together. I mean, I know the fighting force have been having meetings, but we should have a full order meeting. We're only one horcrux away from the battle," Harry said solemnly. Ron nodded in agreement.

***

It was already gone! The last horcrux- Regulus had gotten rid of it! Hermione read the page over and over again. She had read the pages of his journal with astonishment. Regulus Black had been a man wronged many times over, and still he had managed to fight Voldemort under his very nose. Reading his journal had also given her a new reason to be annoyed with Sirius Black, even though she knew she shouldn't think ill of the dead, and that she could never say anything to Harry about Sirius's behavior toward his younger brother. It would crush him.

Hermione flipped the page of Regulus's last journal entry about the dementor he had created and the destruction of Gryffindor's journal (how ironic that both Salazar and Godric kept a journal?), and how he intended to make the locket his next target. The next page was blank, and she found herself crying over the unsung hero's death, and his bravery. She intended to make it known to the rest of the order that Regulus Black was not just a smudge on his family tree, but that he was a hero to the cause, and he had done it with no promise of glory- only a promise of death. Once a Deatheater, always a Deatheater.

She wondered what could have happened if Sirius had listened to his brother's pleas shortly after he had joined the Deatheaters, instead of slamming the Potters' door in his face. She wiped her eyes and clutched the book to her chest, leaving the Room of Requirement, and heading back up to her dorm.

***

"Gods Harry, there's _pie," _Ron said ecstatically rummaging through the cupboard.

Harry shook his head continuing to eat his eggs and bacon. Leave it to Ron to get this excited over food. Harry finished writing the letter to Fred and George, who would inform everyone that a full Order meeting would take place tomorrow evening.

Harry stretched and put down the copy of the Prophet he had been reading. The Ministry had truly fallen deep into Voldemort's hands. They were even printing stories about muggles _attacking _wizards and witches! As if! Funny thing was the only reliable source for news lately had become the Quibbler. Oh the irony. He finished up the rest of his breakfast and yawned. He had forgotten how wonderful it had been to sleep in a bed until last night.

"I'm going for a nap Ron. Send this out to the twins, but don't use Hedwig," Harry said yawning again. Ron looked away from the cupboard and nodded.

***

"Oh, Inky, I don't know what to do!" Hermione said frustrated. Inky, continued to float in place. It's odd that something that had seemed so menacing to her before now acted as a companion for times like these when she was having a fight with Draco or Blaise.

She had gotten into another row with Draco regarding Zacharias when they had returned from Quidditch yesterday. He didn't think she could trust him. She disagreed. And like normal, Draco threw a hissy fit, guilt tripped her, and when that didn't work, he went to Blaise who was completely willing to distrust any boy Hermione might have a friendship with.

She wasn't about to go distrusting Zacharias. He had proven on many occasions that he was an ally; a useful ally too. She was not about to ruin her friendship with him because Draco was a jealous prat. After all, he thought that she would get it on with a professor for goodness sakes!

And she was just too embarrassed about her situation to talk to Ginny about it, even though she trusted her completely… how would it look if said that she Hermione Granger, Gryffindor Princess Virgin, was sleeping with two men at the same time? She could see the shocked expressions that would fly across the girl's face. Not to mention, Hermione was supposed to end up with the fairytale relationship with Ginny's brother. The entire discussion would be… awkward to say the least.

She continued to rant, thankful for Inky's silence. She just needed someone to talk to, and even though she knew that the dementor probably had no clue what she was saying, when she finished she felt a great deal better.

She thanked Inky, who drifted back over to the window, and then headed downstairs sitting on the couch in the empty common room. She wondered where Draco and Blaise had gotten off to. Then the fire in the fire place roared, and the flames turned green as a red head stuck his head through the fire and stepped into her common room, his twin following.

"Fred! George!" she squealed throwing her arms around them. And of course, just then, the common room portrait flew open with Draco and Blaise storming in.

"Alright Hermione, we're happy to see you too, even though we don't bring the best of news," Fred said solemnly.

"Oh well, sit down," Hermione insisted, ignoring Blaise and Draco's glares.

The twins stretched out on the couch.

"Well, Weasleys would you care to explain why you are in our common room?" Blaise drawled, his mask slipping on to his face effortlessly.

"Sorry mate, but we can't say anything till you leave actually," George said.

"He's safe guys. I was planning on getting him inducted rather soon actually. He and Zacharias Smith have been spying for me among the junior Deatheaters," Hermione said softly, sitting next to George.

The twins looked at each other with shocked expressions, but they quickly got rid of them. "Well 'Mione, whatever you say-"

"We trust," Fred finished for his twin. "The almighty General Potter has called for a full Order meeting, tomorrow night at seven."

Fred looked confused as Hermione flew toward him, embracing him in a tight hug. "'Mione have you gone off your rocker?" he asked.

Hermione stood and grinned. "No, but you have just given me the best news since…" she trailed off glancing at Draco. "Well, the point is, I have something to share with the Order and Harry and Ron that will turn this war around," she said smiling.

"Would you like to elaborate our little bookworm?" George asked playfully. Her smile widened and she shook her head.

"You'll have to wait."

The twins shrugged and disappeared back into the floo.

**Hello everyone!!!!! Well, did you like your present? Also I'd quickly like to say that I need a new beta! Any volunteers?**


	32. Chapter 32

**Hey everyone. I'd just like to take a second to remind people that this story is rated M for a reason. I'd also like to point out that this story contains a threesome, if you haven't figured it out yet. If you think slash is disgusting, or wrong or etc. this story is not for you. If I didn't warn you before, then you have been warned now. **

**Okay, so sorry for that, but I got a couple negative reviews purely bc of the sexual content, and I just wanted to make it clear that it is in the story, and if that makes you uncomfortable, you can try one of my other single pairing het stories. **

**All of my reviewers are AWESOME THOUGH, so here is the next chapter. Hermione gets thrown more into the forefront of the war!**

**Get ready for some action soon! I don't own HP. **

Hermione cast a quick charm on Blaise's hood that would keep him from seeing his surroundings or hearing their destination as they flooed to Grimmauld, after all she couldn't give him the location without proper approval for his induction into the Order by Remus. Sadly, Zacharias had not been able to sneak away from his house and come, but they would find a way for him to be inducted soon. He was becoming more and more helpful as he weeded his way further into the Junior Deatheaters who were calling themselves "Knights of Purity," as Blaise had informed her. How ironic that they had come up with a similar idea to the one Voldemort had established in school. She was so happy that Zacharias and Blaise were spying for her. Just the other day she had been able to secretly foil a plot to harm some younger muggleborn students due to their information.

Hermione led Blaise into the fireplace and grabbed the handful of floo powder that McGonagall had provided. "Number 12 Grimmauld Place," she shouted as she threw down the powder. She stumbled into the living room of Grimmauld place, Blaise gripping her arm tightly as she led him to the couch, and ushered him to sit down. Various Order members that she wasn't quite familiar with sent her curious glances but quickly went back to their conversations. The green flames of the fireplace lit up again, and Draco came through dusting off the ashes from his perfectly tailored robes.

He walked over and sat next to Blaise glaring at her, still sore from their argument. She could care less what he thought at the moment. She was more preoccupied with the book in her pocket, and being able to see Harry and Ron. She looked around the Order for a familiar face and spotted Remus and Tonks in a corner, talking to each other as they waited for the meeting to start. They were such a lovely couple, and she was so happy Tonks was up and about again.

She made her way toward them but the pounding of footsteps drew her attention to the stairs and her eyes lit up, and she couldn't help the tears that welled up in her eyes as Harry and Ron ran down, wrapping her in a strong hug.

"Oh I missed you two so much!" she exclaimed, ignoring the dirty looks she could feel Draco sending them. Harry and Ron pulled away. Well, at least they weren't covered in injuries, like the last time she had seen them.

"We missed you too 'Mione," Ron said brightly, grinning. Harry nodded in affirmation.

"I have so much to share with you all tonight. So much," Hermione whispered. Harry shushed her.

"Tell us after, or share during the meeting if it's okay for everyone else to hear," he instructed. Hermione nodded, noticing that Harry had slipped into what Fred and George had deemed his "General Potter" voice.

Harry turned away from Hermione to share a look with Remus, and Remus promptly cleared his throat and directed all the Order members to the kitchen, looking at Blaise on the couch questioningly. Hermione motioned for him to head into the kitchen, and Remus asked no questions as she took the hearing impairment spell off Blaise, and instructed him to stay on the couch until she fetched him, before resetting the spell in place.

Hermione entered into the crowded kitchen, smiling brightly as Mrs. Weasley embraced her into a warm hug, and nodding to her friends among the Order as she went to stand on the left side of Harry. Harry's face was set in a blank expression, looking every bit the leader he had become. Remus shushed the congregation of the Order. He gestured for Harry to start, and Harry stepped forward standing tall.

"I have called this meeting in session to catch up on the happenings since Ron and I left on our mission. We are both happy and sad to inform you that our mission is almost complete, and the final battle will come soon. Would anyone like to start?"

A couple of members raised their hands, and Hermione stepped forward, placing her hand on Harry's shoulder, signaling him that she would share her information now. Harry blinked at her surprised and stepped back to give Hermione the room to speak.

"Before I share the most important of my news, I believe there should be another here among us. Some of you may have noticed a cloaked man in the living room earlier. I move for Blaise Zabini, Headboy of Hogwarts to join the Order," she said as authoritatively as she could.

Ron looked livid. "We can't trust that bloody Slytherin!" he spat.

Draco immediately stood from the table and glared at Ron. "That bloody Slytherin just happens to be my best mate Weasley, and I'd watch what I say if I were you."

"Oh, and you have the most perfect reputation with us now don't you Malfoy. Or do I have to remind you of last year?" Ron yelled back, venom clear in his voice.

An eerie silence descended over the room, and Hermione could see the dangerous fury etched in Draco's face. She needed to stop this before it got too far.

"Ron, Draco's reputation does not matter. He isn't the one vouching for Blaise. _I _vouch personally for Blaise Zabini. Not only has he become a dear friend to me, but he has placed himself in danger by spying on his fellow Slytherins on my behalf. I will not have you say anything ill of him, no matter what his house affiliation." Ron looked gob-smacked at her.

"I too have faith in the Zabini boy. He has been neutral till this time and is good through and through, despite his unfortunate sorting," McGonagall's voice rang out, cutting through the silence that had occurred after Hermione's declaration. There were murmurs around the room.

"How can we know for sure he is own our side?" Kinglsey asked leaning on the wall.

"He has taken Veritaserum and declared his honorable intentions with me as a witness. I am no fool" Hermione said, and at the suspicious glances that were shot her way she added "I can pensieve the memory if anyone needs further proof."

The room was silent again, until Ron had suddenly found the ability to control his mouth once again. "When did you become chummy with the Slytherins 'Mione?" he asked incredulously.

Hermione gave him a scolding look. "When I learned to look beyond house affiliations Ron! This is no time for blind prejudice! It's that same type of prejudice that led to the Deatheaters, and I will not lower myself to their level."

Ron didn't say another word. No one in the Order could argue with that. Remus cleared his throat. "All in favor of Blaise Zabini's induction to the Order raise your hand."

Everyone's hands came up hesitantly, some slower than others, and Ron and Moody, being the last to agree, but she had won her first battle. Blaise was now a member of the Order of the Phoenix.

"Well then, I think the outcome of the vote is clear. Kingsley, could you please fetch Mr. Zabini?" Remus asked. The dark Auror went out the door and minutes later reappeared with a smug looking Blaise. Hermione rolled her eyes and waited until he settled down. She glanced at Harry and Ron, and Ron's face was tomato red as he tried to stifle his anger, but Harry looked curious as he glanced between her in Blaise. He didn't suspect anything did he?

Hermione gulped and turned back to the Order, feeling substantially more self conscious. "Now I'm sure all of you have been wondering exactly what this secret mission involving Harry, Ron and I is, and I think that now that the mission _has been completed,_" she said emphasizing the words and looking at Harry and Ron, "it is time for me to share what has happened."

Harry's eyes widened. "Hermione, are you sure? There was still-"

"I'm sure Harry." Hermione interrupted. "Positively sure. I wouldn't be standing up here if I wasn't."

Harry nodded for her to continue, and stepped back next to Ron.

Hermione looked back over to the silent and expectant Order. "Dumbledore revealed something to Harry before his death. You see, You-Know-Who-"

Ron cleared his throat interrupting her. "Harry and I have decided in light of the taboo, all Order members from this moment on shall refer to him as 'Voldy.'"

Laughter resounded among all the members of the Order.

"That's bloody brilliant!" Hermione heard one of the twins called out, but she couldn't tell which one of the twins had spoken.

She cleared her throat to quiet the room. "Voldy," she continued "did something despicable to ensure that he could not be destroyed. He began creating horcruxes."

A couple of gasps resounded in the room, but the majority looked at her confused.

"Horcruxes, are dark objects that hold pieces of a person's very soul. Only someone truly desperate would revert to this dark magic, as it makes you less and less human, and requires the murder of an innocent to create," Hermione explained.

"However, as long as the horcruxes existed, Voldy would never die, which is why he was not gone for good when his attempt to murder Harry backfired. Our mission was to locate the seven horcruxes that Voldy made and destroy them. We found out that Voldy was using objects that belonged to the Hogwarts founders to make horcruxes. His first horcrux, his old journal, was destroyed by Harry in the Chamber of Secrets, second year. Then Dumbledore destroyed the Slytherin family ring, causing his death. We eventually located Slytherin's locket, Helga Hufflepuff's cup, and Rowena Ravenclaw's quill, which I am happy to report; I learned how to safely destroy." Harry grinned at this news.

"Harry and Ron were able to slay Nagini, Voldy's only living horcrux, leaving only one to be destroyed before Voldy could be tackled himself," Hermione paused, pulling the shrunken journal out of her pocket, and she enlarged it.

"There is an interesting story behind the discovery of the locket that all of you must understand. The night Dumbledore died, he had taken Harry to find the locket with him before they returned to his office. There were a series of enchantments protecting it of course, and Dumbledore weakened himself by braving this task, even though the destruction of the ring was already slowly poisoning him to death. When they finally reached the residing place of the locket, they found a fake locket in its place. Inside that fake locket was a note from the person who had already stolen the real locket, and it was signed with the initials R.A.B." Everyone was looking at her intently.

Hermione took a deep breath and continued. "Harry told Ron and me about this occurrence, I remembered a locket that felt very dark when we were cleaning out Grimmauld Place. I remembered that we could not open it, and I had seen Mundungus scurry off with it to sell. We tracked down the locket, and my suspicions were confirmed. That locket was a horcrux. At that point I was trying to figure out how the locket had ended up here in the Ancient House of Black. I questioned who could have possibly stolen the locket and brought it here. Then I remembered a snippet of the Black family history that Sirius once mentioned. It had to do with his younger brother, who was a Deatheater, but was ordered killed by Voldy himself, though no one knew why. I didn't know what his initials were until now. Regulus Black was in fact R. A. B. as proven by this journal that belonged to him," she said holding it up. "Regulus Arcturus Black not only defied Voldy by stealing the locket, but he had also done one thing that we all should be forever grateful for. He destroyed the seventh horcrux, Gryffindor's wand. The wand Voldy was planning to kill Harry with, and would have succeeded in killing Harry with if not for its destruction."

Hermione drew herself up taller, and scanned the shocked eyes of the room in front of her. "Regulus Black was the bravest man I have ever heard of, and if he is not a perfect example of why we should let these silly prejudices of Slytherin against Gryffindor, and pureblood verses muggleborn go, I don't know what is. Think of what an accomplished mind we could have had on our side if our prejudices had not kept us from offering him a safe haven. He was Sirius's brother for goodness sake, but yet all glanced over that because Sirius was a _Gryffindor, _and Regulus was a _Slytherin, _so it was obvious that his younger brother couldn't have possibly been good because he was sorted into the _wrong _house. Regulus knew that his brother and his friends who were all members of the Order would not protect him due to his house and he defied Voldy regardless, trying his best to bring about his downfall, though he was certain that he would die in the attempt. And while he was fighting for justice and freedom, Peter Pettigrew _a Gryffindor_ sold out the location of his best friends and caused their deaths, and almost caused Harry's death. Now that all the horcruxes are gone, we have Regulus Black to thank for the fact that all of us here today are not under the reign of the Dark Lord. Those of you who are muggleborn and half-bloods have him to thank that you aren't dead. And all of us have him to thank for Harry's survival, and the hope that we can defeat Voldy, for if he had not destroyed that horcrux, Harry's death would have been certain and believe me when I say it is true that _no one _but Harry will be able to defeat Voldy in the end. Not Ron, nor I, but it will be Harry"

"And as the final battle will come soon, it is time for us to all see that it is not a person's house or blood that makes them good or bad. Nor is it their upbringing or any physical characteristic that can define a person's true nature. It is their choices. And it's time for us to cast away any hate we hold for any other human being, because hate won't do our cause any good. Hate created this conflict, and hate will only cause us to create another foe- ourselves. I was angry when I found out my parents deaths. I _hated _Bellatrix Lestrange, and Lucius Malfoy. I even blamed Draco and hated him. But hating other people didn't do me any good. In fact, when I had finally accepted Draco as a human being, I found myself with a friend to help me, and if I had not- I wouldn't have been able to destroy those horcruxes without dying. If I had let hate overcome me, I wouldn't be here today," she said her voice full of emotion.

"No, hate won't do us any good. Love protected Harry from Voldy that night. Love made us the people we are today, whether it be the love of our parents or the love of our friends. Love drove us to make the sacrifices we have. Love drove us to fight against this evil, and love is what will help us win this war. Now is the time for unity. Now is the time for us to look at each other with love. I know this is war. And I know it maybe hard for you to look at the cruelty these Deatheaters have caused and fight with love. I may be young, and naïve, but I know one thing. When I stand behind Harry on the battlefield, I won't look with any Deatheater with hate. No matter what they've done to me, I won't hate any of them. If there's anything that I will feel, it will be pity. Pity that they haven't had the chance to experience the love I have, to understand what love and compassion are"

"So I ask you to remember all those who have died for our cause with love. To remember all that we stand for. To remember who we are. To remember all that we have sacrificed. To remember that all people are people, regardless of their name or the labels they may have. To remember that together we stand, and separate we fall and that none of us are alone in this. To remember that despite Voldy's growing force, we have something much stronger than the fear Voldy uses to gain his power. To remember that we have love and hope and everything that is good in this world. And if we all remember that, if we can manage to stay focused on our goal and not become ridden with our anger or hate, then I have no doubt that we will win this war." Hermione finished passionately, no longer seeing the faces of the Order.

She stepped back silently next to Harry and quickly wiped away the tears that had grown in her eyes as she spoke.

"I couldn't have said it better myself Ms. Granger," A deep normally snarky voice said. "I couldn't have said it better myself," Severus Snape repeated looking at her approvingly for the first time since she had laid eyes on the Potions Master.

And the war plans began.

**And so we have the start of a battle. Please review! I love you all.**


	33. Chapter 33

**Well, Hello again to all my awesome readers and reviewers. I got such a wonderful response to the speech, and I'm glad all of you liked it! It gives me warm and fuzzy feelings inside… well, I know you've been waiting long enough. I don't own HP. **

Hermione hugged Harry and Ron goodbye, feeling guilty as she made her way over to Draco and Blaise. Ron certainly wasn't happy with her newfound friendship with the Slytherins, but it seemed that he had taken her words to heart. Harry took her new friendships in a stride. He really had matured over this time. Maybe just maybe it would be sometime soon that she could reveal that she was more than just friends with Draco and Blaise, even if now was not the time.

She turned around and smiled at her friends once more, promising to give Ginny their love, before she flooed back to her common room. She waited for the green flames to erupt again, and before she knew it, Draco had grabbed her, and pressed his mouth firmly to hers, wrapping her in a warm embrace. It wasn't long before Blaise had joined them, and they snuggled up contentedly on the couch.

"Thank you." Draco whispered.

She looked at him slightly dazed. "What are you thanking me for?"

"Thank you for standing up for me. For standing up for us. And for just being-well you."

Hermione smiled brightly at her two Slytherins, and happily led them up to their room.

***

Ginny angrily stabbed at her eggs. There was an Order meeting last night, and no one had even thought to tell her! She had thought for sure that when the time for the final battle came close, that they would induct her. But no, she found out just a coupled of moments ago from Hermione, who had told her not only had they started planning for the final battle, but they had inducted _Blaise Zabini, _Hermione's Slytherin boyfriend into the Order before her!

It wasn't that Ginny didn't like Blaise, after all she had been the one to tell Hermione to go for it, and she was happy for her friend. She just didn't understand why they wouldn't induct _her _if they would induct him! For goodness sakes he was only a year older than her, and she had already battled Deatheaters her fourth year, and did a damn good job of it too!

Ginny had made it out unscathed at the Department of Mysteries, and people always seemed to forget that Ron had made a fool of himself, Hermione had gotten herself cursed, but Ginny hadn't. That should be enough to show that she could protect herself. Just because of that incident her first year, people seemed to think that she couldn't protect herself, but Ginny was not a first year anymore, and if anything, that had made her stronger. People forgot that Harry wasn't the only to have had Voldemort in his head. She knew first hand what that slimy snake faced bastard was capable of, and she wanted to fight!

"Ginny?" Hermione's soft voice asked interrupting her thoughts.

As angry as she was she couldn't blame Hermione. Hermione had been the only one to be upfront with her throughout this whole mess. Not even her family had extended her that courtesy. "Yes, Hermione?" she responded, setting her fork down.

Hermione's forehead had creased with worry, and Ginny felt like Hermione was looking right through her. After a while, Hermione smiled and patted her shoulder. "Call a DA meeting for tonight. And then afterwards, I have something important to share with you."

Ginny nodded enthusiastically. Maybe this is what she had been waiting for.

****

Hermione surveyed the members of the DA proudly, but one thing worried her. Zach wasn't there. She hadn't spoken to him since he had told her that he couldn't make the meeting, and she was getting worried. But now she couldn't focus on that.

She straightened herself out and looked across the congregation of the DA. "I think all of you are aware of the history of the Defense Arts Club. The original name was Dumbledore's Army, and it was started by Harry Potter during our fifth year when none but a few would acknowledge that Voldemort had returned," a few gasped at her use of his name but she pushed forward.

"We started this club not only to defy the actions of the Ministry of Magic, but also to prepare ourselves for the inevitable. We knew that it would be soon when we would have a war, and we wanted to be ready. I'm sure all of you have an idea of what has been happening beyond Hogwarts walls. Deatheater attacks have become more and more frequent, and the Ministry has done nothing but cover it up, so an organization outside of the Ministry has taken matters into its own hands alongside the majority of the Auror Department, and the Department of Mysteries. If any of you have had access to a reliable news source, mainly the Quibbler, then you will know that this organization calls themselves the Order of the Phoenix. And now the time has come for the final battle. And it's time for everyone to decide where they stand. The castle will start the immediate evacuation of all students below sixth year to a safe location. Sixth and seventh year students have been given the choice to stay and fight or go with the younger students to a location that is untouchable by Voldemort. None of you will be forced to fight. No one will blame you for wanting to stay back. That also extends to those of you who do not wish to fight on the side of the Order. I hope that everyone in this room would want to fight on the side of the Order, but I am not stupid or naïve. If you decide that you would like to join Voldemort's forces then I will not stop you, I only ask that you understand the gravity of your decision. Headmistress McGonagall will be making this announcement tonight at dinner but I wanted to give you all this information before hand. Is there anything you would like for me to clarify?"

"Why can't fifth years fight?! We're just as good as the sixth years, and you said so yourself, you started this fifth year!" A voice rang out.

Hermione sighed. "Fifth years are not close enough to the age of majority. I know that all of you feel you have just as much of a right to fight as we do, but you can help in other ways. Once you have been evacuated to the safe part of the castle, all fifth years and upper years that have chosen to stay will be going under rigorous healing training. We will not discriminate against Deatheaters, or anyone else injured during the fight. You all will be saving lives."

That seemed to silence any protest that might have come from the younger years. "Well, that's all for today. You all have a lot to think about tonight, so you are free to go."

Hermione watched as the students trickled out of the charms room, with guilt. They were all just kids. They shouldn't even have to make this decision, but she knew better than to try and make the sixth and seventh years evacuate the building. She had strongly argued against the faculty of the school at the Order meeting, pointing out that Harry was the one who was going to personally take care of Voldemort, and he should be considered a seventh year!

Hermione took a deep breath as only her and Ginny remained. The redhead looked at her expectantly. Hermione nodded her head toward the door, and Ginny followed her to the Head's dorms. The dorms were empty, she had told Draco and Blaise what she was planning, and they had promised to steer clear of the common room. Hermione mumbled the password and ushered Ginny toward the couch hesitantly, trying to work up the courage to tell her friend everything. She could do this. She could do this. Ginny would understand.

Hermione sat down next to the curious redhead. "The first thing you have to understand Ginny, is that I didn't plan for any of what happened to happen. And now I want to tell you everything. Even if they don't think so, you are a member of the Order, and you are one of my best friends. Not even Harry and Ron know all of what I'm about to tell you," Hermione paused but then continued before she could lose her nerve. "Dumbledore left Harry with the mission to locate all of Voldemort's remaining horcruxes- dark objects that held pieces of his soul- and destroy them before the final battle could take place. I came here this year to do research for Harry and Ron while they hunted the horcruxes. They brought them back to me, and I stored them in the Room of Requirement, while researching to find a way to safely destroy them. The journal that controlled you your first year- that was a horcrux. I was researching in Dark Arts texts because horcruxes are very dark and obscure, and that was why I was spending so much time in the Restricted Section if you remember." Ginny nodded, urging her to continue.

"After my parents died, I was very upset, and Blaise and Draco both tried to help. I discovered that they were in an open relationship w-with each other." Hermione stammered.

Ginny gasped. "But you- you and Blaise?" she asked confused.

"We weren't involved Ginny- I'll get there. After that we all became friends. But then I started having feelings for Blaise… and then Draco as well. And I was really confused. Blaise kissed me, and then I got really freaked out, because I didn't know what to think. So I started avoiding him. And Draco figured out that Blaise and I were in a spat but he didn't know why, and he confronted me. He used Legilimency and found out everything, and then he kissed me," Hermione said blushing. She didn't need to tell Ginny about the _other _things that had happened.

Ginny's eyes widened. "You mean, when you weren't talking to them- the flowers- they- Oh gods they were from _both _of them weren't they?" Hermione nodded guiltily. "Then- you said you forgave him- are you- you know?" Hermione nodded guiltily again. Ginny looked like she was going to have a heart attack. "You- two- Oh Merlin!" she blubbered incoherently.

"I love them Ginny. You see I was really confused, and I wouldn't get involved with them at first but they won me over. And then, I figured out that I needed basilisk venom and an act of love to safely destroy the horcruxes. That's why I started looking for a way to acquire basilisk venom. I figured out that if I could try and make a potion that needed it as an ingredient- then I could legally obtain some. It was a plus that the potion I had come up with would be a cure for the effects of Cruciatus. It was taking to long for the legal way to work, and somehow Draco was able to get me the venom for Christmas, and well- all I needed was the act of love portion, like how Harry risked his life for you. Well, I- gave my virginity to them, and my blood, with the basilisk venom… it worked. The horcruxes were destroyed. But there was one repercussion that only Blaise, Draco and I know about."

Ginny gaped at her. "You- you _slept_ with them? As in like- at the same time? Is that even _possible????_"

Hermione was really red at that point, and she looked downward. They sat in an awkward silence for a little bit, before Ginny cleared her throat. "Well, what's this repercussion?" Ginny asked, giving her a hesitant smile.

Hermione's face broke into a grin, and she threw her arms around the girl. "Thank you so much for understanding!"

Ginny rolled her eyes at her hysterical friend. "Well, it's a tad… unethical, but who am I to judge. Besides, you're my best friend. I have to accept it."

Hermione let Ginny go, and led her up toward her room. "Ginny, meet Inky," she said opening her room door. The Dementor just floated there, not moving.

"Hermione there's a Dementor in your room!"

"Inky won't hurt you Ginny. He follows my orders since I- well since I _created _him."

"YOU CREATED A DEMENTOR???!!!!!"

**Ginny should know that **_**anything **_**is possible in fanfiction. Lol. Review!!! (PS GUYS I HAVE ALMOST 700 reviews!! HOW AWESOME IS THAT???)**


	34. Chapter 34

**Hi everyone. It's been a terribly long time, and I can't apologize enough for making you wait on updates to this story, as well as my other stories. You see back in December I believe I was struck down with every writers worse nightmare.... writer's block. I would sit for hours and write two words, and I wasn't even satisfied with those! Then the stress of school just made it worse, and I really couldn't come up with what I wanted despite having planned the course of the story. After taking a much needed vacation however, my muse has returned to me, and I will be updating regularly. Thanx to everyone who's stuck with this story since the beginning, and everyone who has joined along for the ride, and in particular all my lovely lovely lovely reviewers who have been amazing in reviewing consistently and making my day. Love to all, the cheshirecat is back. **

**Disclaimer: If I owned HP would I be writing FANfiction? that would be really egotistical to be my own fan... but no I'm not JKR sadly. **

Well, that went better than expected. Surprisingly, Ginny had been more upset with the creation of a Dementor than her strange relationship with Blaise and Draco. But after about an hour of explanation Ginny had grudgingly accepted Inky's existence, though she was still rather harsh to him. But then again do Dementor's have feelings that can be hurt? Hermione wasn't quite sure. She would most definitely be looking into Dementors once this war was over. And hopefully it would be over soon.

A week. The stage was set. With a few well placed rumors of Harry's return to the castle, and some false information fed through their spies, the trap was set. They said jump. Voldemort said how high? So they had one week to prepare. The school had begun its evacuation, and classes were suspended. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together.

They had split into four camps. The students to young to fight or heal were being put to use increasing supplies, learning how to be couriers and those particularly adept in potions were making healing potions. The older students who had chosen not to fight along with the fifth and fourth years were going through training with Madam Pomfrey and several other members of the Order who worked at Saint Mungo's. Then there were the few who left last night. After McGonagall's speech, Pansy Parkinson had caused a ruckus with her outburst regarding her unwavering support of the Dark Lord, lifted her sleeve and revealed the Dark Mark to the student body and stormed out of the hall closely followed by several other Slytherins. She had been proud to notice that when Pansy had called for others to join her, and Theodore Nott had challenged her and declared that he would be fighting with the Order of the Phoenix, Tracy, an Millicent following after him and a couple others. There were still more Slytherins who had chosen to either stay out of the conflict or leave but the fact that any had decided to fight against family and friends, and what they had been taught was amazing to Hermione.

She hadn't seen Draco and Blaise since this morning when they all split up. To keep their cover they headed to the healer's wing even though they both would be fighting when the battle came. They had to seem like loyal followers of Voldemort to the very end. It was imperative that Voldemort not question any of the information that had been fed to him regarding their weakness, or he wouldn't confront them. Hermione however was helping with the training.

The Great Hall had been turned into a training ground. The house tables had been cleared and a cushioning charm had been placed on the floor. Currently they were evaluating everyone's level of skill, and affirming that everyone who had volunteered to fight was qualified. Then after all the Aurors and Ron arrived they'd get into drills of the battle tactics. Hermione's task was to pair everyone up. No one was to be alone in this battle. And then she was to create larger teams by putting together the pairs. And then would come the Units. But Hermione needed Ron to figure that out. After all, Ron was the strategist.

She was almost finished. She knew who worked well with who in general, and she new most of these students' strengths and weaknesses through the DA, and through watching the evaluations. And the compatibility arithmacy equations Professor Vector had helped her to create were able to help her.

Touching the parchment with her wand and relocated several of the partner lines, she finished. Right. Now it was time to get everyone partnered together.

***

Once all of the Order and Aurors had arrived except for "Harry's Guard" and Harry himself had arrived, Remus gave her the cue to start giving out the pairs. She stepped up to the dais and cleared her throat, which was amplified by a sonorus charm, attracting everyone's attention.  
"Alright everyone the pairs will be as follows, please move to stand by your partner after you are called."

She decided it was probably better to give all the pairings that were sure to be uncontested first, and then to move on to the more difficult choices.  
"Remus and Tonks."

"Fred and George Weasley."

"Fleur and Bill Weasley."

"Arthur and Molly Weasley."

"Hestia Jones and Minerva McGonagall."

"Dedalus Diggle, and Elphias Doge."

"Andromeda and Ted Tonks."

"Mundungus Fletcher and Arabella Figg."

"Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood."

"Alicia Spinnet and Angelina Johnson."

"Lee Jordan and Katie Bell."

"Padma Patil and Terry Boot."

"Cho Chang and Victor Krum."

"Anthony Goldstein and Susan Bones."

"Ernie MacMillan and Hannah Abbot."

"Millicent Bulstrode and Tracy Davis."

"Rosmerta and Ollivander."

"Professor's Sinistra and Vector."

"Professors Hooch and Babbling."

"Professor Grubbly-Plank and Madam Pince."

"Professor Sprout and Auror Stevenson."

Hermione looked across the hall and took a deep breath. Now she'd have to deal with all the pairings she was sure would be contested. This was going to be fun.

***

"Lavender I know you wanted to be partnered with Parvati, but it is simply much safer that you and Dean work together to cover each others weaknesses," Hermione sighed rubbing her temples. Her head had started hurting shortly after her argument with Zacharias and Neville, who both obviously did not want to be partnered with each other. Zacharias had even gone so far as to suggest that _they _be partners instead and Neville should just stay out of the battle, which was rather unfair to Neville, who had become very efficient in DADA, and his ability in battle had been proved in the Department of Mysteries, as his bravery. He was an asset.

She was almost done with all the contested partnerships and then as everyone was training she would be heading back to Grimmauld Place to join "the guard" as it had been termed and to quickly go over the battle plans with Ron before they brought Harry to Hogwarts and began the battle drills. Slowly but surely she had convinced everyone to work with their partners, and that they were in fact the best suited to work with each other. She let Remus know where she was going and quickly strolled down the hallway until she stood in front of the gargoyle that protected the headmaster's office.

"Beetle's Bubblegum," she muttered solemnly reminded of Professor Dumbledore. The stairs seemed to move faster than usual as if sensing her urgency. Pushing open the heavy oak doors, Hermione headed straight to the floo and stepped in throwing down the powder and clearly articulating "Number 12 Grimmauld Place." When she stepped out of the dirty fireplace she was met by a threatening wand pressed into her neck.

"What did you use in your third year to keep up with your studies?" A harsh voice rasped.

"A time-turner," she replied without hesitation. Moody lowered his wand and allowed her to step further into the drawing room.

"Constant Vigilance. We've been in the kitchen waiting for you girl," the slightly insane man said, his magical eye swirving around constantly. Hermione smiled at Moody, before quickly making her way into the kitchen, her face splitting into a grin as she hugged Harry and Ron. But after hugging the two boys she was reminded of the two boys she hadn't seen and dearly missed, making her chest constrict. Pushing the thoughts of Draco and Blaise from her mind, Hermione smiled warmly at Harry and Ron, and then greeted the others in the room. The Guard consisted of seven members, herself included. Aberforth Dumbledore, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Mad-Eye Moody, Ron, Dobby, and Kreacher. Hermione had been startled when Harry suggested the use of the two loyal house elves, but had quickly realized that it was a rather brilliant idea seeing as if it truly came down to it, house elves could "apparate" away with Harry despite the anti- apparation wards, something Hermione had yet to understand. After exchanging pleasantries Harry's face change from a smile to his "General Potter" face.

"It's time to get down to business," he said solemnly as Ron simultaneously rolled out the battle plans.

**Well I know that focused less on the romance, but it was imperative to have everyone understand the logistics of the battle. REVIEW!! I LOVE YOU ALL! **


	35. Chapter 35

**Hey everyone here's the next chappie! Hope you love it, and review! If I had named the chapters I would name this Nightime ponderings.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own HP XP**

Voldemort looked down at the small figure trembling in front of him and twirled his wand languidly. Even after all this time he still felt the thrill of power as another pureblood cowered in fear of him. He was their god. The boy had yet to be initiated into the Death Eaters, but he had proved himself worthy with this morsel of information.

"So Potter thinks he can lure me into a trap? How foolish of him. I had expected this the entire time. However we have a few tricks of our own. Still you shall be rewarded for your information. Sit up straight boy," Voldemort commanded in his high hissing voice and he smiled in grim satisfaction as the boy immediately stood taller, though he was still shaking.

Voldemort took his time standing from his throne in the ballroom of Malfoy Manor and slowly descended the staircase, delighting in how the boy's shoulders shook harder with every step he took. With a wave of his wand, Wormtail came flying and crashed into the ground in a crumpled heap by the boy.

"Wormtail, hold out his arm. After all, you two are now practically kin.

"Yes my lord," he stammered in response.

Wormtail, shaking more in fear than the boy did as he was told, and roughly grabbed the boy's pale arm, holding it out to his master. Voldemort liked his lips and pressed the tip of his wand into the boys forearm, nearly squealing with pleasure as the boy's screams of pain echoed across the ballroom, each of his loyal followers looking on with admiration and excitement as they watched the spectacle.

After his mark had taken form dark and angrily swirling, Voldemort crucio'd the sobbing boy and then waved, letting Bellatrix crone over the new member of their ranks. He would call her to his chamber later, as he was most definitely in the mood for giving out pain. And no one was more willing to accept it that Bellatrix.

He watched as the traitor was taken out of the room and returned to his throne, surveying his followers with the knowledge that he held each of their lives in his hands. He was god. They were fragile human beings that could be snapped in half with the wave of his wand. But he, Lord Voldemort had achieved the impossible, had returned from the dead and could do so once again. He was immortal.

And soon Harry Potter would be lying dead at his feet, and his immortality would be cemented for good. Voldemort grinned frighteningly, and waved his hand, watching his followers jump in glee as the nights entertainment arrived. He could almost smell the fear radiating from the new arrivals.

***

Harry sat up from his sheets with a hiss of pain as his scar throbbed. He had gotten used to these random bursts of pain, but this one had been worse than usual. Voldemort was happy and insanely so.

Ron was mumbling inane things in his sleep as he slumbered peacefully on the other side of the tent. Harry sighed and left the tent looking at the rows of enchanted tents that were being used to accommodate everyone in the Great Hall. It reminded him of the Quidditch World Cup, one of his happier memories. Of course, even that memory had been marred by Voldemort; tainted.

For a second Harry could have sworn he saw a figure moving in the shadows, but after a moment they were gone. He rubbed his eyes, but everything was blurry, especially because his glasses were back in the tent, sitting by his sleeping bag.

It must have just been a trick of the lighting. After all, Hogwarts was the safest place he could possible be- well at least other than Grimmauld. He rubbed his scar and went back into the ten crawling back under the covers. The pain was starting to fade and he was going to need as much sleep as he possibly could in the next coming days.

***

Blaise stared lovingly at the blond head that was peacefully resting, looking cute -yes he had just used the word "cute" - as he snuggled deeper into the warmth of his blankets. He lightly stroked his pale blond hair, which had always been his favorite feature of Draco's. It was fine and soft, and starkly different from his raven black waves. Blaise was particularly fond of running his fingers through the blonds hair when they were in the throws of passion.

He also loved Hermione's hair, which was completely different in its own way. Her wild brown curls had a fiery feel to them, just like every aspect of her personality, glinting streaks of gold and red through the chestnut. She was a Gryffindor to her very core. And he definitely enjoyed how he could tangle his hands into her luscious curls as he thrust into her. It was most definitely an enjoyable feeling. One that he had sorely missed for the past three days. Of course Draco had been distracting him with some rather intense very hard fucking, but both knew that they would not completely be satisfied until they were rejoined with their love. Hermione.

***

Neville considered himself a rather relaxed fellow, however he most definitely was not happy with the current arrangement. And he swore if Zacharias Smith rolled over one more bloody time, he might just freeze the boy with the same spell Hermione had used on him in their first year.

He wouldn't really mind working with the vain tosser if it weren't for the fact that the guy just couldn't stay still in his sleep, which was keeping him up. And if there was one thing you don't mess with for Neville, it was sleep. Sleep was to Neville as food was to Ron. He simply could not function without his scheduled amount, and on the rare occasion that he was able to get more sleep it was even better!

Whatever was bothering Smith better fix itself soon, or soon he wouldn't be capable of fighting in the final battle. And he really didn't want to upset Hermione by making her set up another partnership for him.

***

Hermione couldn't sleep. She sat alone in her tent looking up at nothing. Mrs. Weasley had balked at the idea of her sharing a tent with Kingsley, even if the auror was completely respectable, and had completely refused to allow her to stay with Harry and Ron as well. So she had a tent all to herself. Given, it was a smaller tent, but she felt rather lonely. She had become accustomed to not sleeping by herself over the years, and even when she had moved to the head dorms, it was long before she had started sharing a bed with Blaise and Draco whom she sorely missed at the moment.

She continued staring up at the folds in the tent ceiling, imagining that she was somewhere else with the two men she loved.

***

Ron sat straight up as he woke up from a nightmare that he couldn't quite remember. This sickening feeling of dread just seemed to surround him. The final battle was looming above him like a dark cloud, and the tension was increasing everyday he ran his battle tactics, trying to find holes in his plan.

He knew that a large portion of the outcome of this battle depended on him and the solidity of his plans. This was his master chessboard. This game of chess was most interesting and most unconventional. Voldemort's side was typical. There was Voldemort as the black king, Bellatrix Lestrange as his queen. Lucius and Rodolphus were the bishops and the Carrows were rooks. Then there were Draco and Severus who Voldemort considered his knights, but were in fact not his pieces at all.

The peculiarity of this game of chess was that it was not being played by merely two people. Ron held no illusions that Severus Snape was on their side-no. Snape was on his own side a queen in his own right... and his pieces were gray moving like shadows, and it was obvious that he was playing in the name of Lily's memory, and that was his king. But Ron could also see that somewhere along the line, Malfoy who had been Snape's key player, had firmly become one of the white pieces, though sometimes he did as Snape bid him. If Ron had to pinpoint when the change had happened, he would say it was when Malfoy had killed the Voldemort's previous bishop before Malfoy, Dolohov.

Then there was their side which was the most interesting. They had no king. They had nothing to lose, they were playing to destroy Voldemort. An amateur player would have said that Harry Potter was their king without a doubt. But that wasn't true. Harry was the queen, the one who could manuever anywhere they wanted and was almost untouchable. He had been a pawn before, but once Dumbledore had died, through hunting the horcruxes, Harry had made it to the other side of the board and was now the queen. Ron was a knight, and Remus was the other. Moody was a bishop, as was Kinglsey. Neville, and Ginny were rooks, even though they didn't see that yet.

Then there was Hermione. They had made her stay at Hogwarts before primarily because they wanted her to be safe, at that point in time, she had been their king. She was after all, everything Voldemort hated and wanted to destroy, and she was the embodiment of all they wanted to protect. But Hermione had changed. He could tell from the moment her sweet lips had brushed his cheek the first time they had returned. And then when she had given that speech, she was serving her place as a reminder of what they were fighting for. But she had transformed into a key player in the fight herself. And Ron was having trouble placing her in the context of the game.

She was going to be a member of Harry's guard of course, seeing as she was one of the most powerful and talented witches in the Order, not to mention one of the most loyal to Harry. But she was also dating Blaise Zabini, and would no doubt feel an obligation to protect him as well. And in their absence she had created some sort of odd bond with Malfoy that he couldn't make sense of. He had been angry at first, after all he had always thought of her as _his _and that when this was all over it would be her with him. But he had grown up in this last year and was no longer the boy who would've thrown a temper tantrum about it. They were different now. And they were no longer best for each other. And Ron could live with that.

But these connections had motivated Hermione to change from the near stationary King into something else... she was almost another queen but not quite. She could move like bishop diagonally, but she could move straight back and forth like a rook. Instead she moved like a knight. Behind the scenes and hard to predict. And she had created her own network of players that were fiercely loyal to her in the DA. She had created her own piece.

Now he just had to figure out how that would be best used for

**Soooo here's that time where I beg for more reviews bc I'm addicted to them... they're like a druuuuuuuuuug. **


	36. Chapter 36

**Hey all. soo I know you were all on the edge for this update so go ahead and reaaad! Thank you to all my lovely reviewers who I send hugs and cuddles to bc I love you all!**

**Disclaimer: Me own HP? I wish. If I did then I'd marry Draco Malfoy. For sure. Or Cedric. In the book he was gorgeous *sigh***

If the Dark Lord's plan succeeded, Potter wouldn't know what hit him. The Order had to be warned but Bellatrix was keeping a tight watch on him and he couldn't risk her finding out about his treachery. Securing his Death Eater mask on to his face and drawing his hood up, he exited his rooms in the West Wing of Malfoy Manor and made his way down the near empty corridor to the Library in the East Wing.

"Oh Sevie-pooooo! where might you be going this hour at night?" a crazed voice cackled behind him. He turned around his eyes narrowed into thin slits behind his mask as he looked at the dark figure who had been monitoring his activity for weeks now.

"I could ask you the same Bellatrix. Has your husband performed so incompetently that he can no longer keep you in his bedchamber? Or has he found himself with better company?" He sneered coldly.

Bellatrix merely threw her head back and laughed at the insult, a deranged glint in her pitch black eyes. Azkaban had made her more unbalanced than she had been in the First War, and even then Bellatrix had not been completely mentally there. Most likely a result of the disgusting inbreeding found in her family tree.

"Why Severus it seems your humor is as biting as usual. You know, I always believed you were so sour because you never could find someone willing to warm _your _bed. Not even that mudblood slut that you were so fond of," Bellatrix replied once again laughing maniacally.

He stiffened. He wanted to snap her neck for speaking about Lily that way but he had to keep his emotions in check. It wasn't hard for him to slip into the cold indifferent part of his mind that he had formed so long ago after he first became a double agent.

"Well Bellatrix, I have more important matters than our sex lives to attend to, so if you would excuse me," he scowled at her and turned around not waiting for a response and strode off hoping Bellatrix would leave him be. Of course he was not that fortunate.

"I'm sure you could use company to wherever you're going Severus, unless of course, you have something to _hide_?" Bellatrix asked with glee obviously hoping to catch him in some heinous crime against the Dark Lord and use it against him. Bellatrix resented his position at the Dark Lord's right side and would do anything to replace him. Severus would not grant her that satisfaction.

"By all means come along Lestrange, but I can not guarantee that you will be at all entertained by my endeavors, I'm merely researching qualities of some darker potions ingredients in hopes to make a break through on my latest experiment for our Lord. Not interesting to someone of your... tastes," Severus informed her coldly before continuing on his way. Bellatrix skipped beside him muttering inane things every once in a while as they made their way to the Library.

He needed to find some way to get rid of her so he could send out his patronus, or some way to contact someone in Hogwarts or the Order would most definitely be doomed.

***

Hermione looked across the Great Hall with satisfaction as the drills for the Final Battle tactics were being run. They had managed to magically expand the hall and recreate the battle situations on a smaller scale to make sure everything would go as smoothly as possible and their casualties were minimal. Ron watched everything from the head table with the map in front of him, calculating all the possible problems they could run into and how to minimize their damages.

When Hermione had first met the slightly shabby insecure redhead on the Hogwarts train her first year she had never imagined they'd be here now, Ron a confident military general who was deciding how they would confront Voldemort's forces. They really had come a long way. War really had a way of aging a person.

She wondered how different she was from her first year in Hogwarts. Was she still that bossy little know-it-all that no one liked until they took the time to get to know her? No, she most definitely wasn't the same, but she was also not completely different. And even though she was only 17 (though she was 18 if you were counting the time turner), she felt old. She knew it was an absolutely ridiculous notion- her being _old_- but in Hermione's eyes age was measured by experience as well as time, and she'd had enough drastic experiences to last a lifetime, that was certain.

She checked the silver watch for the time and smiled fondly; it had been a gift from Draco and Blaise before they had split up in preparation for the final battle. Silver with green emerald hands, typical of the Slytherins. And even though she hadn't wanted to accept the expensive gift, she had relented under their persuasive eyes. After all they both had plenty of money to spend so it wasn't much to them she reasoned. How she ached for them to keep her company.

It was almost 2 o' clock which meant it was time to check on Inky. She had yet to tell Harry and Ron about the Dementor, though Ginny was constantly pushing her to do so. Ginny said that since Inky listened to her orders, he (or she, Hermione wasn't certain how you could tell the gender of a Dementor) could be useful in the battle. wouldn't the Deatheaters be surprised if all of a sudden a Dementor was sucking out their souls rather than the souls of their enemies? And once they won the war most of the Deatheaters were likely to be sentenced to the Dementor's kiss regardless.

But the idea of watching someone receive the Dementor's kiss was enough to unsettle her stomach. She slipped out of the Great Hall, nodding to Harry who glanced at her from his place beside Ron as she tried to sneak away. Harry had become so intuitive it was unbelievable and it was a wonder he hadn't figured out any of her secrets or asked her why she kept sneaking out. He nodded back and asked no questions, his gaze focusing once more on the map.

Hermione entered her common room which felt empty without Draco and Blaise's presence, and then headed straight for her room to Inky. The oddest thing was that she didn't feel that cold chill that normally accompanied being near a Dementor any more around Inky, though Ginny assured her that she most definitely felt the same around Inky as every other Dementor. And Inky still made Draco and Blaise uncomfortable. Hermione had to wonder whether she was now immune to the feeling from all Dementor's or just Inky. Maybe it was because it was her blood that was used and it was her that Inky was bound to.

But she wasn't sure if she wanted to test the limits of that bond by letting Inky feed on someones soul. What if that was what freed Dementor's? Then would Inky be kind to his former master? She wasn't sure if she was willing to risk that. Much safer to keep Inky pure... or as pure as a Dementor could be.

Hermione sighed and vanished the bowl of chicken that Inky had left untouched. She guess it had been silly to believe a Dementor would like chicken. But then again, what would a Dementor like? Souls of course. Strawberries? Pizza? Chocolate?

Chocolate.... wait that wasn't such a bad idea! Remus ate chocolate to help his lycanthropy, and you ate chocolate to help bring back the happy memories after a Dementor attack... maybe a Dementor will like it? It was worth a shot.

She conjured up some chocolate and offered it to Inky in her palm. The Dementor just stood there- no floated ominously was the better description, and then leaned forward toward the chocolate, almost as if sniffing it, before sucking it into the dark hood.

Merlin's Beard! Dementors like chocolate. Why hadn't anyone discovered this before? Oh. No one really "lived" long enough to discover it most likely. Hermione wondered whether they preferred chocolate to souls... most likely not but it wouldn't hurt to have everyone carry chocolate to throw at Dementors during the battle. If it worked it could be an amazing advantage.

Just as she was about to conjure up more chocolate for Inky who was looking at her expectantly, a wispy silver form appeared through her wall in the shape of a doe. Snape's patronus, and Hermione never failed to see the irony in its shape.

The cold voice that came from it certainly didn't fit the graceful animal. "Voldemort knows Potter's Plan. He's got the Giants and plans to come through the forbidden forest. He also has a prisoner. Examine Ginny Weasley." The patronus disappeared.

Bloody Hell. Bloody freaking Hell. Merlin's Balls, and Fuck and every other foul word that she had heard from Ron or the twins' mouths. This was bad.

**I'm an evil witch who gets a thrill from cliffys. I know. Bad author. Bad bad author. you should review and tell me how bad I am for not resisting temptation. **


	37. Chapter 37

**I'm SOOO SORRY. Everyone I can't explain how sorry I am that I basically took a millenium hiatus without telling anyone, but my junior year killed me, and now I just finished with college apps, so I'll be able to return to writing regularly...**

**I'm sorry I haven't been able to respond to all the AMAZING reviews... this story has become much larger than I ever hoped it to be and you all have stuck with it time and time again! **

**Since there has been such a long gap between updates there's a quick recap of everything that has happened up to now to refresh your memories.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own HP**

*Recap*

Hermione is at Hogwarts researching horcruxes while Harry and Ron search for them and bring them to her until they know how to destroy them. Hermione is head girl, and the head boy is Blaise Zabini, who she later discovers is in an open relationship with Draco Malfoy who is a spy along with Severus Snape for the Order (Still hbp compliant). She falls in love with them, and though having a rocky relationship at times, they stand strong. Hermione has also taken up DA, and befriended Zacharias Smith, who has become a spy in the organization she calls "the junior death eaters". Hermione learns that with an act of love and basilisk venom she is able to destroy the horcruxes. In doing so, she creates a dementor named Inky. After destroying the horcruxes, a plan is mad for the final battle, and Harry and Ron return to Hogwarts as the school prepares for war. At the end of the last chapter, they are informed that Ginny Weasley has been kidnapped, and they must change their battle plan because a spy has told Voldemort.

*end recap*

Ginny Weasley did not hesitate to admit that she had messed up. She knew she shouldn't have snuck out alone and followed that tosser. But when she saw him sneaking out of the Great Hall she knew something was up. And she had been right. She caught him red handed that traitor.

She followed him all the way to the Dark Forest where he had been meeting up with a Death Eater. And she had almost gotten away with spying and being able to tell the others about the traitor! She had taken every precaution to not get caught. She'd used a disillusionment charm, and Muffliato. She would've never been caught if it had been any other Death Eater the stupid traitor met up with.

But no. Couldn't have been Dolohov, Rookwood, or even that bitch Bellatrix. No it had to be bloody Fenrir Greyback, who could smell her. She'd been caught and brought to Malfoy Manor, and placed in this bloody room. She was lucky that Rabastan Lestrange was with that filthy beast otherwise he would have bitten her with his foul mouth, and likely raped her too- but Rabastan had realized how "valuable" she was.

She was surprised that she hadn't been thrown in the dungeons. The room she was imprisoned in was quite nice actually, but a prison nonetheless. They'd stripped her of her wand, and the door and windows were all warded. She'd already tried smashing the blasted things with a lamp.

If the door had been a sentient being, it would've cowered away at the glare Ginny was giving it. Ginerva Molly Weasley was most certainly not a witch to be trifled with. She looked around the room trying to find something that would be useful, there was only a wooden rocking chair, and a bookshelf. She had to escape for Harry's sake and hopefully she'd take a few of those bastards with her.

Well the books were mostly useless. She pulled a couple of the larger one's off just in case- they could be used to chuck at someones head if need be. Then she examined the rocking chair. What could one do with a rocking chair? Well, it was wooden. And a moving chair would propel her faster if she jumped off of it. A plan was starting to form in her mind.

Oh, they wouldn't know what hit them. If they thought that her Bat-boogey hex was bad, they'd really need to get be prepared for this.

Hermione could've screamed in frustration. How had she not noticed before? The person she had tied to a chair in McGonagall's office was certainly _not _ Ginny Weasley. And she was waiting for the polyjuice potion to wear off so she could find out exactly who this tight-lipped imposter was. It should wear off any minute now-

And the fake Ginny Weasley's face began to bubble and melt, transforming into a face Hermione Granger had scarred for life. Marietta Edgecombe. As Hermione recognized the girl, she began to smile rather smugly.

"Bet you wish you had never jinxed that parchment now Granger!"

Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously into slits. "Why you bi-"

Ron held her back as she thundered toward the red-haired Ravenclaw.

"It won't help 'Mione," he whispered gently. Hermione immediately calmed and stepped back, looking oddly at this Ron. It was strange how things changed- had Hermione pictured this situation a few months back, she would've pictured their reactions to be the reverse. Ron really had matured.

McGonagall finally returned to the room, a vial of clear liquid in her hands, and quickly administered it to Marietta, who spluttered as the truth burned down her throat. Hermione had to refrain from smirking as Marietta's eyes went glassy and the veritaserum kicked in. And the interrogation began.

"What is your name?"

"Marietta Edgecombe," a toneless voice repled.

"Where is the real Ginny Weasley?"

"At Malfoy Manor."

"What do the intend on doing with her?"

"Using her as bait to catch and destroy Harry Potter."

"Why did you join the Death Eaters?"

"Revenge." The word hung in the air, heavy on their minds as they looked at the once innocent Ravenclaw with the word SNEAK marred upon her forehead.

Ginny Weasley was poised ready to attack when the golden door knob finally began to twist. The door opened and she catapulted from the chair as it gave one final rock, a blur of red as she slammed her weapon into the skull of some nameless Death Eater and landed on top of them, continuing to bash their head till it was clear that they were unconscious.

The Death Eater never really had a chance. Ginny dragged the body further into the room, and quickly took the robe, mask and wand of the Death Eater she had brought down. Alecto Carrow.

Ginny Weasley had gotten lucky, the robes of the short woman would fit much better than any other Death Eaters. She slipped the mask on and walked out of the room nonchalantly as the door clicked shut. She was one step closer to escaping the Manor. She wouldn't let Harry down.

Harry Potter clutched his head in his hands as the weight of the situation crashed down upon him. Ginny- how could they have gotten to her? He had tried to make she was safe at every turn, since the day he had saved her from the Chamber of Secrets...

But she had become so much more to him than that. She was what kept him going when they were horcrux hunting. Her hair, her eyes, the 63 freckles on her nose- that was what he pictured before he went to sleep.

A shock of red hair appeared next to him as his best mate clapped him on the back.

"Gin can handle herself mate. And we'll rip those snake-bastards to shreds."

Harry tried to give Ron a small smile but failed.

"How are we supposed to fight _Giants _Ron?"

Ron's nose scrunched up as he struggled to give Harry and answer. Harry watched as Ron's face suddenly lit up with an idea.

"Fancy a game of chess?"

The hallways of Malfoy Manor was long, dark, and cold. Portraits lined the wall, glancing at her snottily and raising their chins as she walked past. She wondered how Malfoy's ancestors would react if they realized she was really a blood-traitor Weasley. That was certainly an amusing notion.

Now that she escaped the confines of her prison she tried to figure out how she was going to get to Hogwarts. She couldn't Apparate there. The Floo would probably be closed. So what to do? A portkey would be ideal, but she didn't know how to make one of those. Not to mention, she wasn't sure how Carrow's wand would react to her with such powerful magic. It felt out of place and gave her a dreadful prickle.

She really wanted her old wand back. But how to find it?

As she continued walking deeper into the bowels of Malfoy Manor she heard another set of footsteps, and quickly hid herself around a bend.

As the footsteps grew closer she could hear the inane cackling of the only woman who could freeze Ginny in her shoes.

Bellatrix.

Ron could've laughed at the look of incredulity on Harry's face if it weren't for the grave situation they were in at the moment.

"A game of chess Ron?"

He nodded, and pulled his best mate up, heading towards a tapestry they knew well. Harry protested the entire time, and Ron ignored him as he paced three times in complete concentration and a large wooden door appeared.

He dragged Harry into a room that was creepily familiar.

In front of them was a life size chessboard almost exactly like the one they had come across in their first year, except this one was much larger.

And as Harry looked closer there were far more pieces than in an ordinary chess match. Pieces that looked nothing like regular chess pieces. There were two spaces empty, and just like in first year, they went to take their places.

Ron surveyed the board on his place sitting on they gray horse as he looked across the chess pieces. The spot to his left where the stone statue of Ginny should've been was empty and instead surrounded by black pieces on the opposite side of the board. An exact replica of Kingsley was on his right, and Harry had taken his place in the queen's square. It was a very strange thing to see your friends around you carved in lifeless stone. The game had already begun before they arrived so there were already pieces broken and cast to the side, and the formation was not perfect to mimic the action that had already happened.

What Ron found interesting though was the piece that was Ginny's that had once been white had turned grey on the other side, and was now sitting in the rook's seat next to Snape's knight, while Alecto Carrow's stone form lay crushed on the side.

Was the room giving them a tidbit of information that they hadn't had before? That seemed like the only possibility. Ron grinned. That's right Gin. Give them Hell.

The game began.

Bellatrix Lestrange was possibly the most insane person she had ever laid eyes upon. She was skipping and twirling down the dark hallway as if it were a meadow, and zapping the walls with various curses and hexes, not caring about the damage they may have inflicted. She was singing a child's tune Ginny recognized, but the lyrics were most certainly _not _the innocent ones she had learned as a child.

"_My mother tends the garden, _

_ she tends it very well,_

_ I help her tend the garden,_

_ and she teaches me a spell._

_I grab the mudblood's hairs,_

_ And pull them out the ground,_

_ And I carve them with my knife,_

_ To see if they will make a sound!_

_They scream until they cry,_

_ It's music to my ears!_

_ The spell my mamma taught me,_

_ is the last thing they will hear!"_

Bellatrix's cackles faded down the hallway echoing and taunting, until she was much further away, and Ginny could finally let out the breath that had been constricting in her chest. That woman was absolutely stark raving mad!

She peered once more down the morbid hallway about to resume her escapade, when her cloak was suddenly restricting her neck and a smooth voice asked.

"Well, what do we have here?"

Revenge.

That word wouldn't cease to grate on Hermione's mind as she continued the training in the Great Hall, once again, unable to do anything but wait as Harry and Ron tried to find a way to save Ginny. Only a few had been informed of Ginny's kidnapping, and it would have been too strange if Lieutenant Granger, as the twins had begun calling her (and of course it stuck), wasn't overseeing training like she did everyday.

So she was here helping correct and mentor their soldiers, but Marietta's words would not leave her mind. Revenge. She had personally driven someone to the dark side. If she were being honest with herself, Hermione knew that she should have removed the enchanted boils from Marietta's face after a week, not refuse to give the counter, and let her be scarred.

Revenge. Even after she had been told the full story- how Marietta's mother's job had been threatened, and how she was a single mother and the only one taking care of Marietta and her sister, she still had shown no mercy to Edgecombe.

And now look where that had led. Revenge. She had handed the dark a potential Death Eater on a platter! Oh, she could make plenty of excuses, she was trying to protect Harry, Marietta deserved it, but what she had done was ultimately inexcusable.

She had planted the seeds of hatred in Marietta's heart, and now she was reaping the bad harvest.

Revenge.

"You Ms. Weasley have proven to be the most reckless, insufferable, foolish, dunderhead in your _entire _clan!" Snape thundered callously peering down at her over his large hooked nose.

Ginny had the decency to look reprimanded as Snape berated her.

"However, you have also shown yourself to be more intelligent, resourceful, and useful than them as well, and have taken care of possible the most wretched woman aside from Bellatrix Lestrange and Dolores Umbridge, that I have had the misfortune to meet. And had we been at Hogwarts I think I would have been forced to give an abhorrent amount of points to Gryffindor."

Ginny beamed. It wasn't often you got praise from Snape. Snape merely glared in response. "Now Ms. Weasley exactly how were you intending to return to Hogwarts?"

The game seemed as if it were played in slow motion. The magic of the room had some how enabled the players that were not under their control to move on their own, as they would behave or as they currently were behaving.

And by the end of it Ron had discovered the most intricately beautiful strategies he had ever crafted. They would be ready.

**The next installment should come soon! I can't apologize enough, and I promise to respond to your lovely reviews again... once again I'm sooo sorry!**


	38. Chapter 38

**Happy Holiday's all! I hope you enjoy my christmas gift to you!**

**Many reviewed about confusion in changes in point of view. I'm very sorry about that, but for some reason removes the punctuation and spacing I attempted to use to separate perspectives, so I'm trying something new! **

**Here the shifts in view are denoted by locations italicized at the start of each perspective. Please do not disregard these, because they are somewhat important to understand the overall layout of the next chapter!**

**I hope you like it!**

**Review whether or not yo like this method of separation. Thanks, and Merry Christmas!  
**

_The Hog's Head, Hogsmeade_

Draco looked down on his lover and brushed a black curl away from his face. Would they survive this war? He hoped so. He would do everything he could to ensure that Blaise and Hermione survived this war. Everything.

_Gryffindor Tower, Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

What did it mean? The Boy Who Lived. The Chosen One. Harry Potter.

What did it all mean?

It meant that he was the one who would defeat Voldemort. But why him? He knew the prophecy, he knew Voldemort had accidentally marked him- but why did the prophecy exist in the first place?

And if he was supposed to be the one to end Voldemort- how was he going to do it? Everyone planned it out like the matter was so easy. He was going to kill Voldemort with one Avada and have it over with. That was how it was going to go down. Him versus Voldemort.

But something about that just didn't sit right with him. Was it really justice that he would kill Voldemort with the same curse Voldemort had tried to use on him those many years ago? Or did it lower Harry to the same demonic depths that Tom Marvolo Riddle had descended to?

Harry had come to understand Tom Riddle in the time Dumbledore had taught him Riddle's past. Voldemort had become a creature of evil. But it hadn't started out about evil. His hatred of muggles was born out of revenge. Revenge on his muggle father for his abandonment.

And now why did Harry fight? He wanted to say it was for love- but some small part of his psyche whispered -_ revenge. _ Revenge for the parents he lost all those years ago.

_Study West Wing, Malfoy Manor_

"Well Professor I hadn't exactly thought that far ahead yet-"

"And the ever present stupidity reveals itself again. I believe that I do have a fair amount of polyjuice in stock for such an occasion. Now where is Carrow's body?" Snape cut her off smoothly.

Ginny led Snape back to the room where she had been held before and to Alecto Carrow's lifeless body. Snape pulled out a vial of brown goop, and plucked a hair from Carrow's corpse, adding it to the putrid mixture, which then turned into even more unappetizing gunk... if that was even possible.

Snape handed her the vial wordlessly, and Ginny eyed it warily. She downed it in one gulp as Snape took another vial of polyjuice and- OW!

Snape held a strand of red hair between his fingers and dropped it into the mixture and forced it down Carrow's throat. Ginny watched as the lifeless Death Eater bubbled and became a lifeless version of herself. It was very unsettling to say the least.

Snape levitated the body into the rocking chair she had used to escape, and the body was slumped, eyes distantly empty, and freckles even more defined against grey skin. Hopefully that was not what she would turn out to be by the end of this battle.

According to the Death Eaters, Ginny Weasley was no more.

_Great Hall, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry _

Who would have thought that Ronald Weasley- the youngest, the most foolish, the most unremarkable boy in the Weasley clan would be deciding the strategy of the Great Wizarding War? For years he had struggled with how to define himself apart from his siblings- Bill had been the perfect well-rounded one, Charlie the rebel, Percy the genius, the twins the pranksters, and Ginny- well she was a girl, which made her different and spoiled no matter what.

And when he came to Hogwarts he was defined by the fact that he was the Great Harry Potter's best friend- not by who he was, but by who he knew. But now no one could say that he was in anyone's shadow. Ron was a confident, strong man in his own right.

That didn't mean that wasn't scared- it was terrifying to think that the survival of the Wizarding World was dependent on how well-laid his plans were. And Merlin knew that when he imagined the final battle, there was a spark of fear in him when he realized that his targets were Fenrir Greyback, and Rodolphus Lestrange.

But it wasn't a lack of fear that made you brave. It was the will to push through those fears. Besides, if he didn't come out of this the other side, then he wouldn't be able to investigate the funny feelings that made his ears turn pink every time Luna Lovegood looked his way.

_Kitchens, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

Dobby was most happy to be cooking for Mr. Harry Potter again. Most happy indeed. Of course, he didn't _have _to cook for anyone, but Mr. Harry Potter was one of Dobby's closest, friends, yes he was! Mr. Harry Potter had given Dobby his freedom from evil Lord Malfoy, and for that Dobby was very grateful! Very grateful!

Harry Potter was going to face big evil very soon, Dobby knew. He-who-must-not-be-named was going to attack Harry Potter, just like when Dobby had warned him about the big snakey, and that awful book.

But Dobby wouldn't let any harm come to Mr. Harry Potter. And neither would Winky or Kreacher! No sir! They would help protect Harry Potter. House elves were after all the most loyal creatures on earth!

_The Forbidden Forest, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizadry_

Bane looked up at the night sky, and watched as the stars told the story of time- past present and future. Humans couldn't see what the Centaurs could see, they were blind- eyeless. But the Centaurs had sight. They were not blinded by all these wordly affairs.

They did not wish to participate in the fickle wars of men, but even they could realize that the evil in that creature called Voldemort would twist the nature of their forest, and would seek to destroy them.

The Centaurs would fight with the Order of the Phoenix. And the stars rejoiced.

_Vault 579, Gringotts Wizarding Bank_

Deep in the bowels of a snowy white building that loomed over the junction of Diagon and Knockturn Alley an elite council of goblins huddled speaking in hushed tones of Gobbledegook about the upcoming war.

Their domed heads were all filled with the same fears and worries about this whole war business, that was not turning out to be very profitable. It was most certainly _bad _business.

All of them agreed that this was not a goblin's war it was most certainly a wizard's war. Not a mess that fell to the respectable beady eyed Goblins. But numbers didn't lie, and Voldemort did not create good numbers. No, with Voldemort around, there was no trust in the Ministry! There was no trust in the Institutions! No _order_!

And when there was no trust, wizard's didn't put their wealth in long fingered goblin hands. And that was bad business.

So how is the problem to be broached? They could not directly interfere, not without loosing clients- a lot of supporters of Voldemort had very hefty accounts.

But perhaps they could sell some dragons to that dragon tamer related to Bill Weasley the curse breaker.

It was just business.

_Head Girl's Dorms, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

Hunger. Pain. Light. Bright light. Must feed. Must feed. Empty. Broken.

Hungry. Hungry. Hungry.

Suffering. Sadness. Taint.

Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Must feed. Must search. Must find-

**Chocolate. Whole. **

_Tavern, The Hog's Head Inn_

The last Dumbledore. How strange it was for Aberforth to consider. He was the last living Dumbledore. Ariana had left this world by accident, Albus by his own machinations, and how was he to leave this world? Bleeding on the Hogwart's Grounds?

That's certainly how dear Albus had planned it. That he would die for the cause Albus Percival Dumbledore had championed, for that Potter child.

Of course no one would know of his sacrifice, he was just a bartender. No Aberforth wanted to defy his brother's great plans, but he was a pawn held securely in place. Held by the heart strings that tied him to that portrait of that sweet smiling six year old girl that was wronged beyond repair centuries ago.

_Walls, Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

Whispers. Phineas Nigellus Black was a no nonsense sort of fellow when alive. And continued to be a no- nonsense fellow as a portrait. All this hustle and bustle about this and that of the portraits was rather tiresome, and didn't the portraits realize it was quite counter-productive?

He remarked upon this to the newly appointed portrait of Albus who simply smiled with that quite infuriating twinkle and told him "Why then Phineas, perhaps you can shape these portraits up to do something more productive?" and then disappeared into one of his other portraits, probably one of those cards of his in that candy. Albus always had a fondness for sweets.

Well, despite Dumbledore's outlandish behavior, the idea did have some merit. And Phineas decided that perhaps he could travel through all the portraits within Hogwarts and find out who has a portrait where, creating a network that could provide vital information to the school. Albus of course had done this himself when he was headmaster, but preferred to keep his relations with each portrait on a one to one basis.

Phineas was now proud to regard himself as not only the most well-liked Headmaster, but also the most resourceful in death. Which was more that Armando Dippet, or Dexter Fortescue could claim.

It was truly a wonder what people revealed with portraits in the room. Most interesting of course.

And the next time Minerva McGonagall entered her neglected office, Phineas puffed up his painted chest and gave her quite a bit of _very _useful information.

Albus per usual stared at him from his frame with a knowing whimsical smile and a twinkle.


	39. Chapter 39

**Warning this is a long chapter. Thanks again for the awesome reviews. I love you all, and I must say this story was a pleasure to write! We are nearing the end, and there will only be one more chapter after this one.**

**Get ready for war! **

_Grand Ballroom, Malfoy Manor_

"Tell me boy, why Potter has not come for the girl as you said he would?" the Dark Lord hissed angrily at him.

He was scared. Never in his life had he ever been so scared. He didn't think it would be like this. He thought he'd get glory and honor from the Death Eaters, where bloody Potter had denied him. And most of all he wanted to get back at _her_, and when he came to the Death Eaters, the Dark Lord had appeared a fair and just master, promising that he would get what he wanted if he served well, and he had no doubt that he could meet his Lord's expectations.

His thoughts were silenced as another bout of nerve-twisting pain pierced him, leaving him simpering and cowering on the ground. He coughed and spluttered before finally croaking out, "I-I don't know my Lord- but I h-h-heard him saying he loved her. I don't know why he hasn't come."

"Crucio!"

His world went blank again, knowing nothing but pain, searing pain. He gasped for air as the curse left him, tears bleeding from his eyes as his body convulsed in the aftershock.

"I will not wait any longer! If Potter will not come to us, we shall bring our victory to him! Tomorrow we will destroy Hogwarts!" The Dark Lord jeered. They cheered for him, and yelled their affirmations of service to their lord and ignored his sobs that shook him to his core. Why had he betrayed the light _for this?_

"Well, since Potter isn't too keen to save his love, we'll have to dispose of her. Alecto, have your fun next time you bring her meal, and make sure she's dead once you're done with her."

"Yes milord," he could hear Alecto say in her high squeaky voice.

"Bellatrix will you bring in our entertainment for tonight?" the Dark Lord hissed delightedly.

He heard Bellatrix's crazed cackle fill the room, and pulled himself up to see the muggles she was levitating into the room. He scampered back quickly into the sea of black, and turned away as he heard the screams that mirrored his own just moments before.

_West Wing, Malfoy Manor_

"Well that was pretty lucky don't you think Snape?" Ginny squeaked out. Alecto's voice really was horrid. Not as bad as Umbridge's at least.

Snape just glared at her.

"So are we gonna send word to Harry about the attack or what?" She asked lounging in one of the chairs in his rooms.

"Send him a patronus when you're alone Alecto, even now Bellatrix is keeping a sharp eye on my rooms," Snape snarled.

Ginny nodded, brushing off his harsh tone. Snape always talked like that so it really was nothing new. She shrugged and left Snape's rooms immediately going into her character of Alecto Carrow, and headed towards "her" rooms.

"Alecto," a voice called from behind. She whipped around and came face to face with one of the last people she ever wanted to come across. Lucius Malfoy. She kept her face straight and nodded back at him.

"Lucius."

Lucius looked bored and looked at his nails while circling her like a vulture. "I must admit I was very disappointed when I went to the blood-traitor's room to find you had already taken care of her. I thought you were aware of my _interest _in her, and that you would allow me to have some fun before she died."

Her stomach was tightening in knots as she imagined what Malfoy could have done to her, but she pushed the nausea aside. She was Alecto right now, and Alecto wouldn't feel sick thinking of Malfoy torturing Ginny Weasley.

"Well, you know how I can sometimes lose control with the Cruciatus. Her screams were delicious I assure you."

Lucius grinned. "I'm sure they were. She is most definitely a little fire-cracker. I had hoped to get some enjoyment from her, seeing as my dear wife Narcissa has been gone for sometime now, and I'm sure she would have been a very satisfactory outlet for some of my frustrations."

She had to stop herself from looking horrified. She quickly covered it though, "But she's a blood traitor!"

Lucius shrugged. "I never said I would be gentle. Besides, she's not a muggle or a mudblood, she's still a pureblood. And I'm sure it would have been just as painful for her as any other form of torture."

Ginny had to keep the sickened look off her face. "Well, I'm sorry I disposed of her before you could have your fun Lucius, I really must get back to my rooms now and get some rest, all of that fun really tired me out," she replied smirking.

Lucius nodded and went the other way down the hall, and she walked to her rooms as quickly as she could without seeming suspicious, and let out a deep breath that she had been holding once the door was shut and warded.

She felt defiled just knowing Lucius's dirty intentions. She took a gulp of polyjuice potion hidden beneath her robes, and winced. She warded the room as quietly as she could and then conjured her Patronus, whispering her message and then waving it off with her wand.

_Gryffindor Tower, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

The sound of horseshoes stirred Harry from his sleep, and he was poised with his wand at the ready as a wispy horse galloped through the wall to nuzzle him.

"I'm safe, polyjuiced as Alecto Carrow. Voldemort will attack Hogwarts tomorrow, through the Forbidden Forest. You have all my love," the voice of the woman he loved spoke.

He smiled as the horse galloped around him once last time before dissipating. Well at least that confirmed that Ginny was alright- even if it also meant Voldemort was coming tomorrow.

Bloody Hell. Voldemort was coming _tomorrow. _

_Front Entrance, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

Bane looked disgustedly at the walls wizards erected to cage themselves. He was most certainly not thrilled to be dealing with the wizards. Let Firenze talk to them, he always said. But Firenze was already in the castle, and knew nothing of the decisions of the herd. Except what he could read from the skies, and he was always talented in that respect. He reached the gargoyle, and when the staircase unfurled itself he squeezed into the small space uncomfortably, and let the spiraling staircase raise him into a spacious office. At least the headmasters had sense enough to let the stars shine through the glass above.

There were four humans already in the office staring at him with their mouths gaping. Humans never could control themselves. He knew the girl with the wild brown curls from when the herd had punished the round frog woman. And all of the centaurs knew of the marked child with the bright green eyes.

They stared as he trotted up and bowed, and they all scrambled to bow in return, probably in fear. Stupid beings humans and wizards were.

"My herd and I are no friend of Tom Riddle. We will fight tomorrow against his forces. Send Firenze as a liaison to communicate with us, but _you will not _enter our forest without permission. Is that clear?"

They nodded their heads dumbly in response, and he left the office, itching to be in the fresh air once more.

_Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

Minerva McGonagall stood shocked in her pink pajamas, as the full grown centaur came in and out of the room. This most certainly was starting to seem more and more like a dream. First she was woken up to be told that Voldemort would attack tomorrow, by three frazzled students who always seemed to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, and then a _centaur _just trounced into her office!

How was he even allowed in? She turned back to the students who were now blushing as they noticed her attire, and she had to put on her strictest face, as Ronald Weasley snickered looking at her fuzzy pink cat slippers.

This was most certainly an embarrassing situation. She would have to do what Albus did back in his days of Headmaster and take to wearing full robes at all times during the school year.

She straitened her back, and looked down at the three who had roused her from her sleep, and nodded resolutely and raised an eyebrow at Harry Potter, who did not look in the least bit ready to take on the Darkest Wizard of all time.

"Then you should rouse your troops, now shouldn't you General Potter?"

Harry Potter just grinned at her in response. That boy was always causing trouble.

_Great Hall, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

Neville groaned angrily as a loud blaring horn woke him him up along with the voices of the Weasley twins and Peeves. If this was some stupid joke, it was not funny. Not funny at all! He climbed out of his tent and over the empty sleeping bag of his once again missing tent mate and partner.

Everyone else was coming out of their tents as well and those who weren't staying in the Great Hall were coming through the doors. Rubbing his sleepy eyes Neville saw Harry, Ron and Hermione standing on the Great dias, looking very fierce, even in their pajamas.

The chatter in the Hall ceased as Harry held up his hand, every one waiting in anticipation for him to speak.

"Tomorrow, Voldemort will bring the battle to Hogwarts. Tomorrow we will end this war once and for all!"

The hall cheered loudly at Harry's proclamation and then settled down as Harry's hand went up once more.

"You will all need to get ready, and report to your squadrons to organize our plan of defense-"

The doors of the Great Hall burst open as a head of flaming red hair came running through the Hall and up to Harry. One of Ron's older brothers if he remembered correctly. He whispered something in Harry's ear, and a grin split out on his face.

"Also, we will need volunteers for a highly dangerous mission to report to me once they're ready."

Highly dangerous huh? Neville looked around and shrugged. He wasn't a Gryffindor for nothing. He could handle dangerous.

_Second Floor Girl's Bathroom, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

Zacharias Smith splashed his face with cold water, hoping to wash away the tears that had been in his eyes.

"What's the matter," a crooning voice came from right by his ear. He nearly jumped five feet as Moaning Myrtle floated in front of him.

"Nothing."

"You know another boy was crying in here last year, he looked like you- handsome you know, he said it helped to talk to me," Myrtle whispered giggling.

He ignored Myrtle and looked in the mirror at the deep circles under his eyes and the red splotches on his face before storming out of the bathroom.

_Quidditch Pitch, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry _

Charlie Weasley looked with delight at the magnificent beasts he lived and worked with.

"This is bloody brilliant," he hear Ron mutter. He nodded in agreement. Harry looked a little wary, witch was understandable given his task in fifth year with the Hungarian Horntail, and Hermione looked slightly frightened, but was also enchanted with their beauty. Who wouldn't be? Dragons were beautiful. There were nine of them, and Hagrid and Bill were helping him keep them under control, being the only two who had worked with dragons before besides him.

He looked at the volunteers. Fred, George, and Lee of course, he snorted. Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Angelina Johnson, and Cho Chang. Looked like they were one short. Charlie grinned. He would be flying again today. He looked over at the dragons whose fire was lighting up the night sky.

And he had his eyes on that Hungarian Horntail.

_Quidditch Changing Rooms, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

Luna smiled brightly. She was quite excited to be riding a Peruvian Vipertooth. And she heard that Dragons scared away dangerous Whizzlepoofs. When she saw the dragons though other ideas popped into her head. It often happened that way. She was always thinking.

If they could use dragons, what would stop them from other magical creatures? Like the thestrals? They'd ridden on them before. She decided she should tell Harry. They could have a complete aerial attack!

Luna pulled Harry aside and quickly explained her idea.

"You're brilliant Luna!" Harry exclaimed hugging her, and then ran off to speak to

Ron and Hermione. Well, she hoped that none of the Grakenspurts around him had rubbed off on her.

_Hallways, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

Hermione practically ran from the Quidditch Pitch to the kitchens. Luna really was brilliant. Bloody brilliant! She couldn't believe she hadn't thought of it before.

House elves could apparate _inside of Hogwarts. _ So little was known about House Elf magic. They could use them to move forces, to get the injured to the hospital wing... the possibilities were endless!

She tickled the pear and burst into the kitchen full of floppy eared elves.

"Miss Hermione!" Dobby immediately popped up next to her.

"Hello Dobby! Would it be possible for you to gather all the house elves that serve Hogwarts together so I can speak with them?" she asked gently. Dobby nodded his head enthusiastically, and disappeared with a pop.

This was brilliant. Brilliant!

_The Hog's Head Inn, Hogsmeade_

The mark burned like a million suns as Blaise and Draco were called to him. It seemed the time for the battle had come.

_Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_**Stillness**_

The grounds were silent as the golden sun rose over the Black Lake, and a slight breeze ruffled the leaves of the trees in the Forbidden Forest. There was no noise in the castle, no whispers. Just silence.

Ginny Weasley stayed hidden behind her mask alongside Snape as they marched behind the giants with the forces of darkness. They crashed through the Forbidden Forest like a wave pulling back sand, but there was nothing in the forest.

The marched on, until the Giants broke through the edge of the forest into the open, the silhouette of Hogwarts lit by the sun behind it. They marched toward the looming building, and nothing stopped them. It was hard to see over the heads of the giants and trolls, but she didn't hear anything unusual.

The cry of an eagle filled the sky and large specks rose from behind the castle. As they came closer Ginny could see a whole _fleet _of winged creatures above them. Dragons included!

She could see Harry riding on Buckbeak in the front, and with a roar a spurt of flames hit the confused giants and trolls running about like chickens with their heads cut off, back towards the Death Eaters.

Ginny cast a silent _protego, _as spells rained down upon them, and the aerial line lifted and backed away in the sky. Ginny looked to the skies as the dementors rained upon their attackers, the blasts of silver meeting black as if the angels were battling the creatures of hell.

_**Thunder**_

Bane looked at his brothers and let out a savage war cry, leading his kin across the grass fields, their hooves shaking the ground beneath them as they lifted their arrows and let them loose on the Death Eaters before slamming into their lines. Bane smashed the skulls of a couple Death Eaters before giving the hoot to signal his brethren to retreat back. Their real targets had yet to show themselves.

**_Drips_**

Hermione watched from Gryffindor Tower as the lines of the Death Eaters were in ruins and they attempted to regroup themselves. She pointed out the holes in their lines to Dobby, and the elf nodded, disappearing with a pop.

She watched through the window as the first two squadrons appeared in the breaks of the Death Eater lines, beginning the true battle. Dobby reappeared by her side, and she watched as Death Eaters tried to rearrange themselves, and surround the squadrons. She pointed at three more places, and Dobby nodded, disappearing again.

Three more squadrons appeared on the battle field. Providing support and stopping the Death Eaters from surrounding their comrades and exposing more pressure points in their lines.

Dobby was once again at her side and Hermione extended her wand casting her patronus through the open window into the sky.

_**Lightning **_

Fred and George grinned at each other from atop their dragons as they waited on the roof. Finally Hermione's otter floated before their eyes, and they took off, their Norwegian Ridgeback's flying in a graceful arc, swooping close to the ground. The dementors were too preoccupied to notice the two smaller dragons flying over the lake to the side of the Death Eater ranks.

They pulled up and over the back of the Death Eaters, and their dragons released their angry flames. Time for the real fun.

They threw the cylinders they had made of their famous firecrackers into the flames, and that was all the needed to be set off.

They quickly flew up to relieve Harry.

_**Drizzle**_

Hermione watched in glee as the twins' firecrackers wreaked havoc at the back of the Death Eater lines, and they were now fighting firecracker versions of Harry Potter, that would multiply when cursed. It was actually quite funny.

So far no one on their side had falling, but she could see some intense duels were going on.

Still none of the Inner Circle or Werewolves had come through the forest. She saw Harry flying back to the castle on Buckbeak. It was time to attack on the other side of the Death Eaters and push them towards the Black Lake.

She pointed out to Dobby where she wanted the next two squads to attack.

Dobby disappeared, and the squadrons appeared on the field.

And then swirls of black covered the treetops of the Forbidden Forest like a dark halo.

The Inner Circle had arrived. And the wolves. Hermione nodded to Dobby, and with a pop they disappeared.

_**Pour**_

Ron climbed atop the unicorn and sat with the Centaurs around the bend of the castle. Hermione's otter signaled him and they rushed forward. Around to the edge of the forest, crashing through the trees. The wolves were immediately upon them. The centaurs reared back, their hooves glinting as they smashed back down into the earth, and sprung back up in graceful arcs.

He fired spell at the wolves he could as the unicorn dodged and speared werewolves. He tried to spot Greyback through the fray, but it was hard to fire spells and search at the same time. He didn't have to search long, when a feral growl came from behind him.

He turned around and Fenrir grinned, before leaping at the rear of the unicorn. Ron kicked into the animal's sides, and it leapt to the left, spinning around, Fenrir's teeth barely grazing it's side.

Ron sent a jelly-jinx curse at Fenrir, who dogded it, sending a dark curse back at him. They dueled for several minutes, before Fenrir caught him off guard, his teeth ripping into the unicorn's throat, silver blood dripping down his chin.

Shit. He felt his steed crumbling below him, and jumped off, dodging a curse, and turning to face Fenrir on foot. Fenrir loomed above him, and was a very physical dueler, often times lunging at him, or punching.

Ron knew exactly what it meant that Fenrir had just swallowed unicorns blood. It was going to be a lot harder to defeat him, in fact some of his spells were hitting Fenrir, and just fizzling away.

Damn. He barely skirted Fenrir's last attack. Ron was pushed further and further back as Fenrir whipped attacks at him, both magical and physical. Just as he thought he had been cornered, a scream distracted Fenrir, and Ron yelled his last attempt with as much force behind it as possible. The curse hit him in the chest, his body turning into cracked grey stone, frozen in shock.

With the ties to their alpha disappearing, the wolves retreated. Ron gasped for air, and clutched the gash in his arm that resulted from Fenrir's scratching. Looked like Bill wouldn't be the only Weasley with werewolf scars.

The remaining centaurs regrouped, carrying their injured and their dead, and Ron was baffled as Bane extended an arm to him. He grabbed his hand and shook it, but Bane pulled him up as if he weighed nothing, and set him upon his back.

They rode further into battle. One down, one more to go.

_**Drenched**_

When Ginny saw Hermione enter the throng, she knew it was time. She looked to Snape and nodded to him for luck, quickly gulping the antidote to the polyjuice, and whiping off the wretched Death Eater mask, her red hair flying wildly around her, as she whipped out curses. They fell at the tip of her wand, and she felt like the warrior goddess she had mimicked at the ball not to long ago. Snape, had ditched his mask as well, and they fought back to back. He was much more graceful than she was, and watching him effortlessly duel was a sight to behold.

Not too far away she could see that Draco and Blaise had also dropped their pretense and were fighting through the throng getting closer and closer to Hermione. Soon she got separated from Snape and was fighting on her own, and none was spared from her Bat-boogey. She saw the other members of the Order in glimpses, but was quickly focused on whatever death eater she was dueling.

"If it isn't Potty's little girlfriend! I thought you were dead! Well, I'm glad that I'll be the one to rip that pretty red hair off!" She heard a voice cackle maniacally.

Bellatrix. She quickly stunned the nameless Death Eater she was fighting before, and faced the mad woman. She looked just as crazy as ever.

Ginny gripped her wand tightly, and stood ready to duel, eyeing Bellatrix warily, as the woman spun around, magic crackling around her dangerously.

She laughed, and then smiled insanely.

Ginny shot a stunner at Bellatrix, but she easily deflected it before sending three curses back at her in rapid progression. Ginny ducked below one, and blocked the other two, barely having enough time to put up another shield as two more curses danced toward her.

"Ready for a duel blood traitor?" Bellatrix taunted. Ginny took a deep breath and quickly shielded, before sending a stinging hex at Bellatrix which caught the hem of her dress. Bellatrix laughed again, before swirling her wand in the air and instead of shooting it at Ginny, she saw Dean Thomas fall to her left. Ginny let off a new flurry of curses, but Bellatrix seemed to easily avoid each one, and the adrenaline wasn't as strong in Ginny's veins as it had been earlier.

Finally a crucio broke through her barriers, sending her to her knees in pain. She coughed as the curse was lifted, and looked up into Bellatrix's black gleaming gaze as her wand was lifted for the killing curse, as a ray of green shot over Ginny's head, and she could hear her mother's voice screaming "NOT MY DAUGHTER YOU BITCH!"

And Bellatrix Lestrange died, the insane glint in her eyes dying with her.

_**Pounding**_

Hermione was fighting Amycus Carrow viciously, and took him down, wiping the sweat that had appeared on her brow. She looked around at those who had fallen, and was relieved to see the house elves popping in and out to clear the battle field. The war in the skies still raged on, but what was important was that the dementors were too distracted to attack anyone on the ground. Most of the trolls and giants had been brought down, and Harry was waiting for the signal to come back out with Buckbeak.

Everyone was locked in duels around her, and she was whipping around to see if she could find her targets. She couldn't find Rookwood or Avery at all. She heard the hex before she saw it coming, and quickly fielded it off, before turning to face her attacker.

"Potter's mudblood. I was hoping I'd get to fight you. You know I didn't get the chance to have fun with your little friend during her stay at the manor. I suppose you'll do," the cold voice of Lucius Malfoy said.

They dueled furiously, neither one giving up, hex for hex, curse for curse. He got a nasty stinging curse at her leg, and she set his hair on fire, but those were minor injuries. She would take Lucius down. It seemed as if the world slowed for a moment, as they fought, neither gaining the upper ground.

"You know, your muggle parents screamed and begged to be spared. Very _Gryffindor_ don't you think?" he jeered.

Anger welled in her, and she frantically cast curse after curse, some of them more questionable. Lucius merely laughed at her attempts, firing his own back at her.

He finally stumbled not because of a spell she shot at him, but one that came from her side.

"You will not touch her father," Draco's voice rang out from next to her.

Lucius's face contorted in fury. "You traitor! Consorting with a mudblood? You will die for this and she will too!" Lucius said raising his wand, but he never got to say another curse.

Blaise appeared on her other side, a jet of green from his wand, and Lucius fell to the ground. Draco grabbed her and kissed her fiercely, even in the midst of the battle, and she found that she could continue kissing him forever, no matter what was happening. As soon as she was released from his embrace, Blaise did much the same, gathering her into his arms. She missed them so much. But now was not the time.

She couldn't find Avery or Rookwood, so they had either fallen, or were with Voldemort. It was time for the signal.

Blaise and Draco rejoined the battle fighting around her as she sent the red sparks into the sky for Harry to see.

Seconds later she could hear the hoof beats and flapping of wings, and was pulled onto Buckbeak's back behind Harry. They flew over the scene of battle, and into the Forbidden Forest, Harry following the link to Voldemort through his scar.

_**Surge**_

They landed in a clearing, and climbed off of Buckbeak, wands at the ready. They could hear a loud thumping and they were ready to attack, when Ron burst through the trees on Bane's back, climbing down and bowing to the regal creature before the centaur returned to the trees.

"How'd you get him to do that?" Harry asked puzzled. Ron shrugged in his usual way.

"Beats me mate."

Hermione shook her head. Boys. Just like old times. Harry shushed them, and began treading further into the forest, following the pain in his scar. They scrambled through the forest until they came to a cave. Hermione quickly disallusioned them, and they entered the mouth of the cave, and the battle began again. Hermione quickly disposed of Avery and Rookwood, the one's she was supposed to get rid of in the first place, and Ron took care of Rodolphus Lestrange as Harry barely touched Wormtail before he scampered away like the rat he was.

"Harry Potter. I have waited for you," Voldemort hissed, coming out from the shadows, a large snake at his side.

They looked at the snake shocked. Hadn't Harry and Ron killed Nagini?

"I must admit, I was sad to lose my last pet, but Nagini had a brother," Voldemort hissed, as the snake reared up in front of him.

Hermione sent several curses at the beast, but it remained unaffected, snapping at them. The snake never went toward Harry, instead forcing Ron and Hermione backwards as they tried to find someway to kill it, and then with a gleam of steel, the snake's head was severed, Snape holding the sword of Gryffindor in his hands.

Harry and Voldemort were locked in a duel, both carefully trying to avoid casting at the same time and causing Priori Incantatem. Snape, fell to the ground, a deep gash in his side bleeding profusely. Hermione lifted to wand to help Harry as Ron helped Snape bandage his wound, but she was knocked aside into the wall of the cave roughly by a spell.

"I c-can't let you d-d-do that Granger," a hesitant voice said. At the mouth of the cave a Death Eater stumbled through. The Death Eater cast a petrificus totalus at Ron, and then disarmed her before she could react. She was helpless at his hands.

"I didn't want to do this Granger. If you had just been good, we could have been together, and none of this had to happen!"

Where did she know that voice from? She gulped, and crawled backwards as the Death Eater came towards her, but a red light engulfed him and he froze and fell to the ground stunned. The sandy head of Zacharias Smith appeared, in the cave, his wand pointed at where the Death eater had previously stood. The mask fell away, and the face of Cormac McLaggen was revealed, stunned.

Hermione didn't have a moment to process what had happened, and quickly snatched her wand, and started sending curses at Voldemort, which he fended off easily.

"No mudblood shall best me!" he hissed at her, sending the killing curse her way. It was too fast for her to dodge, and then all she saw was darkness, and she felt like all the happiness was draining from her.

And then the darkness moved, and she was not dead at all. The halo of green had dissolved into the dark dementor floating towards Voldemort. Inky! Voldemort cowered in fear as the dementor began to feed off of him, until the darkness of his soul had been completely sucked into Inky, and only his shell of a body remained, like a snake's shed skin.

But then Inky turned to Harry, and Hermione was horrified, as darkness was pulled from Harry's scar into Inky.

"No Inky, you can't attack Harry!" she screamed, but it seemed the dementor would not listen to her any longer.

Hermione tried to cast a patronus but she couldn't bring herself to think of anything happy enough. And then a wisp of silver light came from the tip of Harry's wand, and a silver stag emerged, it's antler's ripping the dark dementor to shreds. And in a burst of light and sound Hermione was thrown back once again into the wall of the cave, and could see no more.

**_The Calm After the Storm_**


	40. Chapter 40

**For some reason this chapter was the hardest chapter that I've written for this story. It's strange to think that this is now the end of it. I almost couldn't believe it when I finished it. **

**Thank you to all of you who have read this story, and all of you who have reviewed. When I started this story I thought that I would be lucky to get even one review, and now I have 974! That's almost a thousand times people have felt that my story was good enough to give feedback! Amazing! Not to mention the 300,000 people who have read but never reviewed! **

**This story has become something far beyond what I thought it would become. It's helped me grow as a writer, and I thank all of you for taking that journey with me. I will have some finally notes at the end of this chapter as well, and I hope you all take the time to read them. **

**Disclaimer: Everything in this story belongs to the inspirational J.K. Rowling minus the plot. Thank you for allowing me to write it! And I make no money from this story.**

Ughhhh. Her head hurt, badly. She blinked her eyes open, and couldn't figure out where she was. Was it over? Was it all really over? She remembered Voldemort falling, and Inky-

Her arm felt like it had taken a bludger repeatedly as she tried to sit up. This was bloody awful. She wasn't in the hospital wing, but it kind of looked like it. St. Mungo's! She must've been transported there. She needed to know what happened. It was so confusing in her mind, so blurry...

"Miss Granger! It's good to see you're awake!" A stout woman in green robes exclaimed a chart in hand as she came over to her bedside.

Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but only a cough came out, she was parched. The healer immediately cast _aguamenti_ filling her mouth with fresh cool water. She gulped it down happily, and renewed her efforts to speak.

"Harry? Ron-"

"Are both fine and in beds of their own, Mr. Smith is as well, and we are doing are best to stabilize Mr. Snape."

Hermione wanted to nod, but her head felt to heavy to lift. "Everyone else?" She asked hesitantly.

The healer's face turned grim. "Now is not the time to discuss such things. Just know that thanks to you and your friends, Voldemort is gone for good. Thank you Miss Granger for your service to our world!"

Hermione frowned. She wanted to know if everyone was alright! Was Draco safe? Was Blaise alright? Panic welled within her, and she tried to pull herself up again, but the healer tutted, and stopped her.

"Your shoulder and arm were shattered Miss Granger. You must wait another day for the skele-grow to finish it's work, and only then can you get up. You also had a rather nasty concussion, and suffered from aftereffects of the Cruciatus. In the meantime the Minister of Magic is here and wants to meet with you. I'll send him in."

Hermione glared venomously. She didn't want to see the daft bloody Minister of Magic. She wanted to know how her friends were! How her _lovers _were. Not be a part of some stupid political ploy by Rufus Scrimgeour.

When the curtain was pulled aside again, however, it was not Rufus Scrimgeour who came through.

"Kingsley?"

He looked rather frazzled and as if he was carrying a heavy burden, but he sheepishly nodded at Hermione.

"You're the Minister of Magic?" Hermione asked shocked.

He shrugged, rubbing his dark bald head for a moment. "The Wizengamot called an emergency meeting following the battle. It was chaos. There was a complete upheavel. The seats held by Death Eaters were revoked and new members were sworn in. Percy Weasley is now the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. They enacted an emergency decree instating me as interim Minister," he explained.

Hermione grinned. At least some good could come from this madness. "What happened?" she finally asked.

"I was hoping you could tell me-" Kingsley said disappointed.

"We should wait for Harry and Ron to be better, then we can all explain at the same time- to get the whole story. The healer said I'd be able to get out of bed by the end of today."

"You always were a smart one Hermione," he said smiling.

Hermione blushed at the compliment. Kingsley stood about to leave.

"Kingsley?" She called as he was about to leave. He paused. "Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini... are they both alright?" she asked scared.

Kingsley gave her an odd look, but nodded. "They're both alive."

Relief flooded through her at his words. They survived, thank God, Merlin, and anyone else she was indebted to for this turn of fate.

The day went by quietly, with the odd healer or two checking in on her progress. As the pain started to fade away (with the help of several pain relieving potions) and she began to regain movement of her arm she became more and more restless.

Finally the first healer she had met when she had come in returned, ran a few tests and declared she was able to go. She nearly jumped out of bed, and once she exited her small room she realized the true chaos occurring in the aftermath of the war. The hospital was in a flurry. Healers ran from room to room, memos zipped by her head in the air, as they attempted to keep up with all the injured from the battle. An auror immediately stood by her side from his previous post at her door. She couldn't remember the auror's name but she remembered his face. He looked at her with something akin to awe, despite her disheveled and scruffy appearance. She was still wearing the same clothes from the battle, and there was dirt and blood on them.

She muttered a quick scourgify and blushed as the auror continued to stare at her. She cleared her throat and the auror seemed to snap out of his trance like state.

"Um- err Miss Granger, I s'ppose you want to see Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley?" he stammered nervously looking at the ground.

Hermione nodded, and the auror led her through the chaotic halls of St. Mungo's sometimes yanking her out of the way of a levitating body, or a memo zipping by. When they passed the auror guarding Ron's room, he gave her a cheerful salute and opened the door to reveal three redheads, one laying silent and still on the hospital bed.

Her guard stayed outside and Hermione nodded to Charlie and Bill as she sat at Ron's side picking up a pale hand.

"How bad?" She asked.

"He's just banged up is all. He's got a couple of werewolf scratches though on his arm, and the healer's aren't sure yet what kinda effect that's gonna have," Bill said his hand coming up to rub his own Greyback scars.

"But they said he should be up soon, he's only asleep because of the Dreamless Sleep draught they gave him so his head injury could heal. He was bleeding in his brain, but they fixed that," Charlie finished.

Hermione nodded and gulped. "The r-rest of the family?"

Charlie and Bill glanced at each other and a deep sadness gripped their faces. "Mum's with Ginny a few doors down, Fred and George are alright, making trouble for the healers," Charlie said.

"And Mr. Weasley? Is he with Percy at the Ministry?"

Bill took a deep breath as Charlie stared at a blank space on the wall. "Dad fell in the battle. He's d-dead."

Angry tears attacked her eyes before he had even finished speaking, salty droplets flowing freely down her cheeks, her lip quivering. Mr. Weasley was like a father to her, helping her where her own parents couldn't with matters of the magical world. His death left a deep pit of sorrow in her soul.

She was somehow aware of Bill holding her at some point as the shock and the tears meshed together blurring her sight to the point that it seemed like a dream. At some point her eyes had dried, and she was able to move her arms to wipe the wetness from her cheeks and lips.

"I'm so sorry," She finally managed to croak out. She pulled herself out of Bill's arms and quietly whispered to Ron before setting her shoulders as quickly and leaving Bill and Charlie to look after her friend.

Harry's room was a bit further away, and guarded much more heavily. It took a few moments before they allowed her to go in. Harry seemed at peace for the first time since she had met him on the train to Hogwarts all those years ago. His scar was faded, as if it had melted into his skin so that you could barely see it.

She held his hand as she had Ron's and whispered for him to wake up soon, and that she loved him before leaving him to continue resting. She looked around oddly not knowing exactly what to do next. Voldemort was dead. Gone. There was no philosopher's stone to discover, no Basilisk to defeat, no prisoner to help escape, no tournament to help Harry win, no corrupt Ministry to fight, no evil plots to uncover, no horcruxes to destroy- what now?

"Do you know where Draco Malfoy is?" she asked the auror. The auror looked perplexed at her request but nodded, taking her to almost the opposite end of the hospital. She hesitantly turned the door knob and entered the room. Blaise's eyes blinked open slowly and he lifted his tousled head from Draco's side and slowly stood, pulling her into the tightest hug she had ever received.

Love swelled in her, her chest tightening and choking her as the tears returned. She grasped Blaise's shirt in white knuckled hands, pulling him as close to her as she possibly could. He pulled away slightly and she tried to press herself back to him when his lips smashed against hers almost painfully, and his hand tangled in her wild locks pulling her closer to him.

"Bloody hell, don't I get a hello?" an irritated voice said breaking up the intense kiss. She wiped her tears on her sleeve which was becoming drenched with salt and water. A small laugh bubbled in her chest as Draco's behavior, but quickly faded as she took in Draco's appearance. His left eye was heavily bandaged, and his leg was as well, blood staining the pure white gauze. He was smiling at her though, despite the dark circles under his right eye.

She rushed to his side and gave him a gentle sweet kiss.

"That's more like it." Draco smirked satisfied after the kiss was broken. She looked around but there was only one chair, Draco's room was significantly smaller than the one she had been given. Blaise solved her problem by sitting in the chair and pulling her snugly into his lap. She almost giggled she was so happy.

"I love you both so much," She told them quietly. Blaise nuzzled her neck.

"We love you too Hermione," Draco whispered tenderly, lifting his hand up to her. She held it tightly in her own and lifted it to her lips to give him another tender kiss.

_Gardens, The Burrow_

A month after the final battle, and Wizarding Britain was finally starting to settle into place. She had been to more funerals than she had ever wanted to- Dean Thomas, Katie Bell, Cho Chang, Millicent Bulstrode, Tonks and Remus- that had been a very difficult one to sit through- Arthur Weasley, and countless others.

The aftermath of Voldemort's storm was chaotic to say the least. The remaining Death Eaters were quickly rounded up and tried before Wizengamot, and for once it seemed as justice would finally return. Both Blaise and Draco were tried and found innocent, their part as spies revealed to the world, and upon Voldemort's demise, the dark mark had disappeared from their arms.

They had given the official account of Voldemort's demise to Kingsley, and an edited version to Luna for the Quibbler. It had turned out that Harry's scar had also been a horcrux, and that Inky, that demented dementor, had really been their savior, sucking the final piece of Voldemort out of Harry, but that truth would never go beyond Harry, Hermione, Ron and Kingsley.

She looked down at the beautiful bouquet of lillies in her hands and tucked a curl behind her ear. The wedding would be the first light through the clouds of war. She straightened and walked down the aisle, catching Draco and Blaise's gazes of pure adoration as she tried her best not to trip over the hem of her gown.

She took her place in the ceremony and broke her eyes away from where Draco and Blaise were sitting, and watched as the most beautiful bride she had ever seen walked down the aisle, white lilies braided into her flaming red hair. Her bright brown eyes gleamed as she focused solely on the man waiting for her at the end of the aisle.

The sun shined brightly as Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley became Mr. and Mrs. Potter, with only Molly Weasley's cries of joy cutting through the silence as the couple sealed the ceremony with a deep kiss. The applause filled the air as the happy newlyweds broke apart, and a magical array of fireworks that Fred and George had no doubt arranged burst in the sky.

The reception was just as beautiful, Molly had made sure every detail was perfectly. Draco and Blaise were in a deep discussion with the Weasley twins about some new product the twins were trying to develop. Harry was attempting to whirl Ginny gracefully around the dance floor, but his dancing hadn't improved much since the Yule Ball in their fourth year. It was very comical. The oddest thing was Ron twirling Luna around her yellow bridesmaid's dress that matched Hermione's.

Only a year ago, Hermione would have imagined that to be her. She took a sip of champagne and jumped in surprise as someone sat next to her on the bench.

"Zacharias! It's good to see you!" Hermione gasped setting her flute aside and giving the pompous blond a hug.

He grinned at her rather sheepishly. "Yea, the healers told me you visited, but I wasn't awake yet."

"Well, I'm glad you're alright," she told him smiling. "I never got to thank you, for saving my life from that Death Eater. I owe you a life debt."

Zacharias's face turned rather grim. "I'm glad I was able to save you. It was hard to turn on my best friend."

Hermione looked at him confused.

"Cormac. It was Cormac McLaggen. He was one of my best friends before he graduated. We were still really close, and talked all the time while he was in the auror program. Hard to believe he went to the darkside."

Hermione was shocked. Cormac McLaggen? She remembered him being tried and found guilty, but she didn't know that he was the one who had tried to kill her. She had never thought him capable of murder, even if she wasn't fond of him.

"Well, I ought to be going. Owl me sometime yea Hermione?" Zacharias asked before walking out of the tent and disapparating.

She didn't have much time to think about it as Draco pulled her out onto the dance floor, Blaise watching them amused. Luckily enough the Daily Prophet wasn't back in order, and so Hermione's unconventional relationship with two wizards wasn't flaunted and attacked by the media. Even though her friends had originally been quite scandalized, they loved her enough to look past it. As it turned out, with three being such a magical number, their type relationship wasn't unheard of though still rare in the magical community, even if was usually two women and one male. Chauvinistic pigheaded men.

The dance ended and Draco pulled her back to Blaise who threw an arm around her shoulders as Draco held her waist.

"What colors would you like for our wedding Cara?" Blaise asked.

Her eyebrows went up. "Who says we'll have a wedding?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Of course we'll have one. Ours will have to be much grander than Potter's though."

"Still competing with Harry?"

Draco sniffed. "Potter is hardly even in the range for competition."

Hermione only snorted in response. "That's right Malfoys have their own universe correct?"

"Of course. You'll understand that once you're a Malfoy."

"And who says I wont be a Zabini?" Draco scowled.

"Cara, you'll be a Zabini- Malfoy," Blaise interjected.

"No, she'll be a Malfoy- Zabini," Draco said stubbornly.

"I think Zabini- Malfoy has a better flow to it Draco," Blaise argued.

"Malfoys always come first," the scar cutting through his left eye looking fierce as he glared at them.

"Well not this time they don't."

"Alphabetical order. Malfoy comes first..."

Hermione smiled to herself as the two Slytherins continued to fight over the last name they would take.

"I think you should take my name, and we'll all be Grangers."

They both looked at her as if she had killed their most loved pet. "No way!" and "Absolutley bloody no!" both came out at the same time. She chuckled as they continued to argue, completely ignoring her proposition.

They made sweet love to her that night. And proposed two weeks later.

All was well.

**And that was the end! Alright so my final notes: Yes I kept the last line the same as the one J.K. Rowling had at the end of the Deathly Hallows. Even though I wasn't thrilled with the last book, that line stuck out to me as the perfect portrayal of the peace after the turmoil of the series, but at the same time, it's well, not amazing not perfect, but simply well.**

**I also tried to keep the deaths as close to the ones J.K. Rowling had originally planned, but I really couldn't kill Fred or Snape... it was hard enough to actually let Tonks and Lupin die, but the symbolism with Teddy being an orphan just like Harry, but this time with a loving family just called out to me as a beautiful representation of the time of love that destroying Voldemort had created, bringing the story full circle.**

**The death of Arthur Weasley in turn for Fred was not something I came up with, but in fact, originally J.K. Rowling stated one Weasley would die in the series. She's said in interviews that originally it was supposed to be Arthur Weasley when he's bitten by Nagini, but that she couldn't bring herself to kill him, and had Fred die instead. To me I thought Fred's death was more tragic because of the promise and potential of his youth, and I felt Arthur had really lived his life, and would die happy knowing all his children were safe.**

**One last thing I left unanswered, the prophecy said that Harry would have a power that the Dark Lord knows not, which we all know was love. So Harry was able to destroy Inky and thus the rest of the Dark Lord's soul with a patronus, conjured with thoughts of his parents and Ginny. **

**I hope you all enjoyed this story, and for those of you who have read Between the Stacks, yes! This means I will finally be doing the sequel! **

**I hope you all continue reading my work! And thank you for reading this story!**

**Sidenote: I totally cried when I changed the status of this story to complete. I'm such a demented dementor. I imagine in the wizarding world that would be the equivalent of Silly goose. **


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